On a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging that the Punjab government is not following its own policies as well as high court directions with regard to the allotment of low income group (LIG)/medium income group (MIG) flats to 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims, the Punjab and Haryana high court has issued a notice of motion to the state government.
The PIL, filed by the Danga Peerat Welfare Society, Punjab, came up for hearing before the division bench headed by chief justice Arjan Kumar Sikri on Tuesday.
The petitioner society submitted that the Ludhiana deputy commissioner (DC) was not following the state policy and was restricting the allotment of flats in Ludhiana only to riot victims who are living in that city, even though riot victims settled in other parts of Punjab and having respective Red cards could also apply.
Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Mansur Ali submitted that the Ludhiana DC was even putting names of illegal occupants of flats in the draw of lots for 900 flats to be conducted on November 30, despite the fact that respective flats are required to be regularised only by giving formal allotment letters. The draw of lots could be held only for vacant flats (about 900) in Ludhiana, it was submitted.
On November 3, 2008, the state government had formulated a policy, whereby unauthorised possession of houses of riot victims was to be regularised, it was submitted. The bench was also informed that despite possession of Red cards issued by the competent authorities, the riot victims were being asked for more proof by the Ludhiana DC.
{{/usCountry}}On November 3, 2008, the state government had formulated a policy, whereby unauthorised possession of houses of riot victims was to be regularised, it was submitted. The bench was also informed that despite possession of Red cards issued by the competent authorities, the riot victims were being asked for more proof by the Ludhiana DC.
{{/usCountry}}It was also informed that on September 14, 2001, the state government had taken a policy decision, whereby the prices of LIG/MIG houses were fixed at the 1991-92 rates.
The case would now come up for hearing on February 4.