The Hindu : National : Supreme Court directive to Centre, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 03, 2007
ePaper

National

National

Supreme Court directive to Centre, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar

Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar to evict unauthorised occupants from government quarters and also recover penal rents from those evicted.

A Bench of Justices B.N. Agrawal and P.P. Naolekar, hearing the matter relating to unauthorised accommodation in government bungalows in Delhi and various States, told Central Government counsel Wasim Quadri: “We are not satisfied with your affidavit relating to unauthorised occupation/recovery of penal rent in 30 quarters allotted to MPs under the legislators’ pool. Issuing notice and all is mere eyewash.”

When counsel said various parliamentary committees should take action, the Bench said: “You must take proper action. Otherwise we may have to issue notice to the Lok Sabha Speaker” and asked him to file an affidavit in six weeks.

Counsel for Andhra Pradesh said there were 60 unauthorised occupants and steps were being taken to evict/recover penal rent.

The Bench told counsel: “They may be senior IAS officers, judicial officers or MLAs; put them behind bars. IAS officers do not enjoy any immunity from law as all are equal before law.” The Bench asked the State to file further affidavit in six weeks.

When counsel for Bihar said that whereabouts of about 180 persons, who were evicted, were not known as they had vanished, the Bench said: “How can so many persons vanish at a time. We can understand some 40 persons vanishing but how can the whole lot vanish? If they are Government servants, then suspend them immediately.”

The Bench granted six-weeks to the Bihar Government to file report on the eviction and recovery proceedings taken up against the unauthorised occupants. Regarding Tamil Nadu, the Bench asked counsel to file further affidavit in six weeks.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National