SCF owners get justice after 18 years

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 23

After 18 years, the owners of a shop-cum-flat (SCF) in the city have finally got justice.

The UT Chief Administrator has set aside an order of the Estate Officer demanding misuse charges from the SCF owners. A penalty of Rs18 lakh imposed on the owners on account of misuse charges has also been waived.

Appeals were filed in the court of Dr Vijay Namdeorao Zade, UT Chief Administrator, by the SCF owner and his son, the co-owner, against the orders passed by the Assistant Estate Officer (AEO) on March 24, 2009, and against the demand of misuse charges from the appellants vide memo dated March 5, 2014, in respect of the SCF.

In the appeals, Vikas Jain, counsel for the appellants, submitted that the SCF in Sector 18 was earlier resumed as the misuse existed at the site. Against the resumption order, a revision petition was filed before the UT Adviser in 2002 which was disposed of on June 19, 2002, whereby the site was restored to the owner subject to the payment of a 10 per cent penalty. Further, the petitioner was directed to apply for a change in trade within 30 days.

In the order, the Adviser had specifically mentioned that as per the amendment in the Building Rules, the change of trade has been allowed by the Chandigarh Administration and as such

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