25-09-2023 : In the highly publicized Public Interest Litigation (PIL) centered around the eviction of former legislators from Ministerial Bungalows in Jammu and Srinagar cities, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed, representing the petitioner, took a significant step today by submitting a comprehensive list detailing the personal accommodations or houses owned by 48 prominent politicians.
This submission was made in accordance with the directives of the Division Bench, as stipulated in their order dated September 13, 2023. In that order, Advocate S S Ahmed had been instructed to provide a list of individuals who possessed residential properties in Jammu or Kashmir, as outlined in Regulation 5 of the Jammu and Kashmir Estates Department (Allotment of Government Accommodation) Regulations, 2004.
The submitted list meticulously outlines the residential properties owned or occupied by these 48 politicians in the regions of Jammu and Kashmir. Among the individuals listed are well-known figures such as Ghulam Nabi Azad (Former CM), Shamsher Singh Manhas (Ex-MP), Muzaffar Hussain Beigh (Ex-MP), Chander Mohan Gupta (Former Mayor, JMC), Kavinder Gupta (Former Deputy Chief Minister), Sunil Sharma (Former Minister), Ravinder Raina (State President, BJP), G M Saroori (Ex-MLA), and many others who have held significant political positions.
In addition to the list submitted by Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed, Senior AAG S S Nanda also presented a status report, in accordance with the Division Bench’s directives issued on September 13, 2023. The report, provided by the Deputy Director Estates in Jammu, conveyed the need to verify the existence of alternative accommodations or houses for the 48 politicians in Jammu or Srinagar. To do so, the Estates Department has initiated correspondence with these individuals, requesting information regarding the presence of any alternative residential properties. The status report emphasized that some reasonable time is required to obtain these crucial details.
Today, the PIL was scheduled to be heard before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi, albeit through virtual mode. Unfortunately, due to a packed schedule, the hearing of the case could not take place at this time.
This legal undertaking represents a significant development in the ongoing efforts to address the issue of ex-legislators occupying Ministerial Bungalows in Jammu and Srinagar, highlighting the legal complexities and the meticulous approach being taken to resolve the matter.