Govt houses to Azad, Raina: High Court grants last opportunity to UT to file status report

In the overmuch publicized Public Interest Litigation (PIL No. 17/2020) seeking eviction of overstaying Ex-Ministers/Ex-Legislators/Politicians from Government Accommodation, a Division Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh astatine Jammu comprising the Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal successful a important bid has granted past accidental to Sr. AAG S.S. Nanda appearing for Estates Department/UT of J&K to furnish the latest Status Report successful presumption of bid dated March 26th, 2025 earlier the adjourned day and failing which the Division Bench directed that the Chairman of the Designated Committee would look earlier the Court oregon by the virtual mode connected the adjacent day of hearing.

     When this PIL of wide nationalist value came up for proceeding earlier the Division Bench headed by the Chief Justice Arun Palli, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Rahul Raina, Supriya Chouhan and Adnan Mushtaq Jaral appearing for the petitioner drew the attraction of the Division Bench towards bid dated March 26th, 2025 whereby the Division Bench connected the connection of Senior AAG S.S. Nanda had granted 3 weeks’ clip to record the Status Report with respect to 2 politicians namely Ghulam Nabi Azad, Former Chief Minister of the erstwhile J&K authorities and Ravinder Raina, Former President, BJP J&K arsenic Senior AAG S.S. Nanda had submitted astatine the barroom that the Designated Committee is apt to reappraisal the allotment of accommodation of the said 2 politicians.

     Advocate S.S. Ahmed further submitted that the directions of the Division Bench dated March 26th, 2025 person not been complied with and the Designated Committee has not reviewed the substance regarding allotment of accommodation with respect to 2 precocious illustration politicians.

       Advocate S.S. Ahmed further submitted that the Apex Court has ruled successful catena of Judgements that erstwhile a nationalist antheral demits his bureau past he/she becomes an mean idiosyncratic and is not entitled to Government Accommodation. Advocate Ahmed further submitted that successful this PIL only, the Division Bench connected the ground of Delhi High Court’s Judgment successful Subramanyam Swamy’s lawsuit held that information and accommodation are 2 chiseled factors and akin rule of instrumentality is required to beryllium applied successful the lawsuit of 2 politicians also.

       After considering the submissions of Advocate S.S. Ahmed, the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Arun Palli successful the unfastened tribunal expressed interest implicit the dilatory tactics and observed that this PIL is pending for the past 5 years and enactment a circumstantial query to Senior AAG S.S. Nanda arsenic to however overmuch clip is required to comply the directions issued by this Court connected March 26th, 2025. Senior AAG. S.S. Nanda astatine this signifier prayed earlier the Division Bench for lone 1 accidental and the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Arun Palli granted past accidental to Senior AAG S.S. Nanda to furnish the latest presumption study successful presumption of bid dated March 26th, 2025 failing which the Division Bench directed that Chairman of Designated Committee would look earlier the Court oregon by the virtual mode connected the adjacent day of hearing.

Looking into the value of the matter, the Division Bench directed the Registry to re-notify the instant PIL connected July 7th, 2025.