Twitter
Advertisement

Government faces court wrath over housing quota files

State has delayed in submitting files to cout appointed commission of inquiry

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

The Bombay high court recently rapped the Maharashtra government for delay in handing over the files to justice JA Patil committee appointed by the court to probe irregularities in allotment of flats under the chief minister's discretionary housing quota since 1982.

Irked by the government's non cooperation, justice Abhay Oka said: "You (government) cannot take months to give the files...these have to be handed over to the commission within a reasonable time period."
A written complaint regarthis this was filed by NN Kumbhar, secretary of the commission of inquiry.

"Also, you (government) may have to consider extending the term of the commission (ending April 30, 2015). All this would put a burden on public exchequer," said justice Oka while asking the state to hand over the files immediately.

The government, on the other hand, pleaded that its staff was new and the record to be submitted to the commission pertained to a long period of time (1982 to 2011), and hence, it was time consuming. The bench asked the secretaries of housing and urban development departments to file affidavits by March 9. The HC will also fix time frame for handing over files on next date.

Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist Ketan Tirodkar, the high court on October 9, 2014, had appointed justice Patil to probe alleged irregularities in allotment of houses in CM's discretionary quota since 1982.
The court had also ordered the government to make available all relevant records to the commission of inquiry including the details of all allotments made right from 1982 under the two per cent and five per cent discretionary quotas in regard to all the nine urban agglomerations.

Kumbhar had also expressed that there was difficulty in commencing the probe since from December 1, 2014, the housing department has tendered approximately 500 files out of the total 1,300 while the urban development department had submitted only 314 files out of 12,000.

The complaint read: "Though ample correspondence and oral requests were made on phone, they have not tendered the remaining files till date.... Thus non-compliance of judicial directions in respect of tendering the files by these two government departments, the inquiry committee is facing problems in (inquiry) working."

Public prosecutor Jayesh Yagnik submitted letters written by joint secretaries of housing department and the UDD explaining the delay in submissions of files to the commission.
 

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement