The Delhi High Court has asked the Centre to give details of the government bungalows in the national capital which are being occupied by persons who are no longer MPs, MLAs or bureaucrats.
A Bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice C. Hari Shankar wanted to know the details of the alleged illegal occupants of official accommodation and if the occupants were holding any post and how long they had been in illegal occupancy.
“Lot of people are occupying government bungalows without holding any post,” the court observed, while giving an oral direction to the Centre.
It gave the direction while hearing a petition on illegal occupancy.
The court also issued notice to the Centre, the Delhi government and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on a fresh petition seeking official residential accommodation for judicial officers. It listed both cases together for hearing on February 5.
The latest plea contended that several judicial officers did not have an official residence, due to which they have to opt for rented accommodation at far off places.
The petition claimed that it results in hardship not only to the judicial officer, but also litigants, accused, lawyers and police officers who may have to urgently move the judge at his home for any interim relief or order.
The plea further said 126 judicial officers were appointed by a notification dated May 21, 2019, but no government accommodation was available to them.
It has sought directions to the Centre and the Delhi government to provide official residential accommodation to the Delhi Judicial Service officers by purchasing, at concessional rates, around 140 CWG flats available with the DDA.
