Akali ex-MLA ‘illegally’ occupies flat, Speaker seeks report

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 7

High drama prevailed at the MLA hostel in Sector 4 here this evening when Zira Congress MLA Kulbir Singh Zira found that the flat No. 41, which was allotted to him on January 25 this year, was “illegally” occupied by former Akali MLA Hari Singh Zira.

As per Assembly records, the flat was allotted to Samrala Congress MLA Amrik Singh Dhillon on April 11, 2017. After nine months, he wrote to the Speaker that he did not need the flat. Subsequently, it was allotted to the MLA Kulbir Singh Zira. Before the flat was allotted to Dhillon, it was occupied by Hari Singh Zira.

In the evening when Kulbir Zira reached the flat, he found that power to the flat was being illegally drawn. He lodged a complaint and a team led by Surinder Singh, Deputy Secretary, Vidhan Sabha, inspected it and also found that flat occupants were illegally drawing power.

Speaker Rana KP Singh said it (occupancy by the former SAD MLA) was against rules and sought a report.

Quoting his conversation with Amrik Singh Dhillon, Kulbir Zira said, “Hari Singh Zira has illegally occupied the flat for nine months and has also been drawing power illegally.” Blaming PWD officials for this, he said those responsible for it should be held accountable.

Avtar Singh, son of Hari Singh Zira, said, “As a goodwill gesture, Dhillon had allowed us to keep our furniture at the flat as our flat was being readied. We are not living there and we have just kept your furniture there.”

Amrik Singh Dhillon, who has to vacate the flat by February 24, 2018, said while surrendering the flat, he had asked Hari Singh to vacate it.

Sources in the Vidhan Sabha said the Samrala MLA only took paper possession and never applied for water and electricity connections. After Hari Singh vacated the flat, the electricity and water connection were disconnected.