Srinagar- In response to a public interest litigation aimed at evicting former ministers and ex-legislators overstaying in government bungalows, the Advocate General of Jammu and Kashmir, DC Raina, informed the High Court that two premises have been vacated and six other occupants are in the process of vacating.
Addressing a division bench comprising Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi, Raina stated that political leaders Wazira Begum and Sonaullah Lone have already vacated their accommodations.
The government is actively considering the eviction of the remaining premises and requested two months to complete the process.
Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed, representing the petitioners, contended that the government’s actions did not fully comply with the court’s April 3 directions. These directions mandated the Director of Estates in Jammu and Kashmir to issue individual orders for all 43 occupants and justify why they were not being charged commercial rental rates, despite no longer holding office.
Ahmed criticized the government for allegedly favoring 41 politicians still in power by referring their cases to a committee, calling it a tactic to protect influential figures.
He noted that the government had previously evicted over 200 politicians, including former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
The division bench requested a review of the records to ensure compliance with the court’s previous orders and scheduled the next hearing for August 7.
The court also instructed the Estates Department to report on the case of former Finance Minister Abdul Raheem Rather, who claims to have vacated his accommodation and seeks removal from the list of occupants.(KNS)
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