Expressing anguish over a former deputy chief minister and some former legislators continuing to retain government houses, a division bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir consisting of Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice Rajesh Sekhri has ordered the personal appearance of the secretary (Estates) in the court.

The court’s directions have come on a public interest litigation (PIL) on the slow pace of eviction of the former deputy CM and BJP leader, Kavinder Gupta from the ministerial bungalow.

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BJP President Sat Sharma and several other former BJP ministers and legislators were continuing to reside in government bungalows despite the court orders to vacate the accommodation.

The court ordered that in case the updated status report is not filed, the commissioner-secretary (Estates department) shall remain present in the court on the next date of hearing.

Senior Advocate SS Ahmed and Advocates Rahul Raina, Supriya Chouhan and Mohammad Zulkarnain Choudhary drew the attention of the court towards the last order of 7 November wherein the court had issued detailed directions, including personal appearance of the commissioner-secretary.

SS Ahmed vehemently argued that there cannot be two laws regarding eviction of unauthorised occupants of government houses.