Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 21: High Court has directed the Government to inform it about the bank accounts of former Law Minister and senior leader of National Conference Mir Saifullah for recovery of rentals and other charges in lieu of his Government accommodation.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Puneet Gupta while closing the petition seeking its earlier order directed the Government to inform the Court about the details of the bank accounts of Mir in case he had failed to deposit the rent and allied fee as was required to be paid by the accommodation holder.
The direction followed after the response to the query of the Court by the Government counsel that no rent, license fee, water and electricity charges have been paid by Mir who continued to be in illegal and unauthorized occupation of a valuable Government property. Court observed that the Government should have moved in accordance with law and ensured that the Ministerial Bungalow was vacated.
Court has also been informed that the writ court has passed the order for recovery of the rent and other charges as arrears of Land Revenue from Mir. “In case respondent fail to deposit the amount payable to the Government, it shall be open for the writ court to proceed to recover the amounts due from the respondent on account of the rent and other charges as admissible under rules by attachment of the bank account or the properties as the case may, of course, in accordance with law”, DB directed.
Court also sought appraisal from the authorities about the security assessment of Mir by the Security Review Committee as to whether security was deployed for him and if yes, then the nature thereof. “Let the same be place before us in the three days”, Court said also sought information as regards to cost incurred on the security month-wise and total period.
Petition was filed by the authorities seeking review of order on wrongful retention of Government accommodation, T-10 at Tulsi Bagh, Srinagar under the garb of court orders.
It was pointed out that by virtue of Government order in 2015 Mir was offered accommodation which he declined and as a result is retaining the Government accommodation illegally which was allotted to him as a Minister.
Court has been informed that more than five years have passed since the passing of the alternate accommodation but Mir is enjoying the Ministerial Government accommodation.
The DB while referring the Apex Court ruling on retention of the official bungalows by the erstwhile Ministers, Legislators said the said law laid down by the Supreme Court binds not only the officials but certainly the respondent who is an Ex-Minister.
Court said while offering the alternate accommodation, the officials had clearly undertaken the security assessment of Mir and it is not for him to dictate what accommodation is to be allotted to him as the law laid down by the Supreme Court bind the officials as well as the respondent-Mir.
Supreme Court has held in 2018 that the authority cannot permit any former Chief Minister to occupy any Government Bungalow or any Government accommodation after 15 days from the date on which his term come to an end.
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