Estates Dept seals BJP J&K chief’s govt accommodation
The Estates Department has sealed the government accommodation provided to BJP J&K chief Sat Sharma and imposed a penal rent of Rs 73,470 on him.
The department has also evicted former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader of J&K, Kavinder Gupta, from his government accommodation.
In the much-publicised PIL seeking the eviction of former ministers, former legislators and political figures from ministerial bungalows/A-type kothis and government quarters, the Estates Department, pursuant to an order dated December 12, 2024, passed by the Division Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh, filed its updated compliance report. The report mentions that Gupta has vacated the government accommodation.
The compliance report also states that an eviction order was issued to Sharma on November 21 last year, and a notice for payment of penal rent amounting to Rs 73,470 up to December 30 has been issued to him.
The report further reveals that Sharma’s premises was sealed on December 30. The Division Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh had expressed its displeasure in its orders dated November 7 and December 12, specifically directing the Secretary to the Government of J&K, Estates Department, to file an updated status report regarding the occupants, including Gupta, Sharma, former MLCs Surinder Ambardar and Zaffar Iqbal Manhas.
According to the compliance report, the eviction process under Section 4 of the J&K Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1988, has been initiated against Manhas and Ambardar, with notices issued to them on December 28, 2024.
The status report also reveals that government accommodation has been vacated by Congress leader SS Channi, and a notice for payment of penal rent amounting to Rs 14,690 was issued to him on December 20. Former MLA Mohammed Abbas Wani has also vacated the accommodation, with a notice for penal rent of Rs 19,586 issued to him on December 12. Additionally, former MLA Abdul Rahim Rather has vacated the accommodation, and a notice for penal rent of Rs 28,211 up to December 20 has been issued to him. Similarly, former MLC Vibodh Gupta has vacated the accommodation, and a notice for penal rent of Rs 13,993 up to December 20 has been issued to him.
Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed, along with advocates Rahul Raina, Supriya Chouhan and M Zulkarnain Chowdhary, appeared for the petitioner, while Senior Additional Advocate General SS Nanda appeared for the UT of J&K (Estates Department).
