31 former legislators asked to vacate Govt residences, warned of forcible eviction

Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Sept 16: The Estates Department has issued notices to 31 former legislators asking them to vacate the Government accommodations they are illegally occupying in Srinagar and in case they fail to do so they have been warned of forcible eviction.
The notices have been served among others to former Deputy Speaker Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi early this week and they were asked to vacate these premises within 7 days.
The notices were issued to former Deputy Speaker Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi residing in T-18 Tulsi Bagh, former MLAs Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen residing in M-1 Tulsi Bagh, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjoora residing in M-5 Tulsi Bagh, Zaffar Mahas is residing in T-9 Tulsi Bagh, Mohammad Khalil Band residing in T-16 Tulsi Bagh, Zahoor Ahmad residing in T-12 Tulsi Bagh, Syed Farooq Andrabi residing in T-5 Tulsi Bagh, M S Panditpuri residing in 7-S Tulsi Bagh, Mohammad Abbas residing in 15-F Jawahar Nagar, Ajiaz Ahmad Mir residing in J-11 Jawahar Nagar, Ali Mohammad Dar residing in J-14 Jawahar Nagar, Bashir Ahmad Dar residing in J-18 Jawahar Nagar, Er Rashid residing in J-24 Jawahar Nagar, Mushtaq Ahmad Shah residing in J-27 Jawahar Nagar, Shoukat Hussain Gania residing in J-41 Jawahar Nagar, Altaf Ahmad Wani residing in J-46 Jawahar Nagar, Dr Bashir Ahmad Veeri residing in J-48 Jawahar Nagar, Haji Rasheed residing in J-59 Jawahar Nagar, AR Rather J-62 Jawahar Nagar, Mohammad Yusuf Bhat J-63 Jawahar Nagar, Mohammad Amin Bhat J-64 Jawahar Nagar, Shameema Firdous J-65 Jawahar Nagar, Abdul Rahim Rather residing in a private house hired by Estates Department, Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan residing in a private house hired by Estates Department, Chander Mohan Ganga residing in a private house hired by Estates Department and Raja Manzoor residing in EP flats; former MLCs Kasiar Jamshed Lone residing in T-19 Tulsi Bagh, Vikram Randawa residing in J-53 Jawahar Nagar, Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo J-60 Jawahar Nagar and Yasir Reshi J-61 Jawahar Nagar.
A notice issued to one of the legislators said that they have been issued several notices in the past to vacate the Government accommodations which they are not entitled for but they had failed to comply the Government orders.
“That as per the SOP and frame work for ‘withdrawal of various facilities provided to the constitutional dignitaries and others notified vide Government order No. 35-Est of 2016 dated 31.3.16 i.e. within one month from the date of dissolution of Assembly, which you have not done so far, despite our repeated requests including various written intimation with regard to vacation of the present accommodation”, read the notice.
“As such you are no longer entitled to retain the Govt accommodation further in light of J&K Estates Department Allotment Regulations of 2004 as laid down under SOP issued vide Government order dated 31.3.16”, the notice read further.
“In reference to notice No. DDES/Vac/2020/2025-27 dated 8.1.20 already issued giving you ample time to prove that you are duly authorized to occupy and continue the above said accommodation but despite lapse of considerable time, you failed to do so”, the notice said.
The Estates Department has said that they will penalize these illegal occupants. “In view of the above, you are not authorized to continue the Government premises anymore and are liable for imposition of panel rent for the unauthorized period”, it read.
They have been given seven days’ time to vacate these residences. “Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred on me under Sub-Section (1) of Section 5 of J&K Public Premises (Eviction of Un-authorized occupants) (Amendment) Act 2016, …all persons who may be in occupation of the said premises or any part thereof are hereby asked to vacate the said premises within seven days from the date of receipt of this order”, read the notice.
They have been warned of forcible eviction if they fail to vacate the premises within 7 days. “In the event of refusal or failure to comply with this order within the period specified above, you and all such who are occupying …shall be evicted from the said premises, if need be by the use of such force as may be necessary under law”, read the notice.

HC seeks report
As the report of Estates Department reveals that large number of former Ministers, politicians and retired bureaucrats are under unauthorized occupation of Government quarters and Bungalows, the High Court has sought compliance of court directions already passed with regard to eviction of these persons with recovery of outstanding rentals from them in lieu of these accommodations.
Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey after perusal of the compliance report filed by the Principal Secretary of Estates Department said the report reveals that large number of persons including former Ministers, MLAs, Retired IAS officers, MLCs and politicians are still unauthorizedly residing in Ministerial Bungalows in different categories of accommodations of the Estates Department in both provinces of Jammu as well as Srinagar, directed for submitting of an affidavit as regards to the directions passed by the court qua eviction of such persons.
Report also reveals that huge amount which is in lakhs of rupees is outstanding on account of rent against these categories of authorized and unauthorized occupants and no steps so far have been taken by the Department either to vacate the persons or recover the outstanding amount from them despite court directions from time to time.
Government counsel sought 10 days’ time to update the status and compliance of court orders. Court granted him time by directing to submit an affidavit of the Principal Secretary of the Estates Department with regard to the directions passed qua the issue. “The affidavit shall also furnish the details of the recoveries, if any, made of the outstanding amount of rent from these authorized and unauthorized occupants on the basis of the calculations made in accordance with the norms governing the field”, Court directed.

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