HC tells dy speaker to raze illegal construction

“Either demolish at your residence or face the music”—this was Delhi high court’s terse message to Delhi Assembly’s deputy speaker Amrish Gautam on Tuesday.

“Either demolish at your residence or face the music”—this was Delhi high court’s terse message to Delhi Assembly’s deputy speaker Amrish Gautam on Tuesday.

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Justice Hima Koli slammed Gautam for challenging Delhi Lokayukta’s order for a probe into an illegal construction at his property in Khichripur in east Delhi. “If you yourself admit that there is some unauthorised construction, why don’t you demolish the illegal part and get clearance from the civic agency?” Kohli asked Gautam’s lawyer.

The judge asked him to file a written reply by July 22, explaining as to what action he wants to take “to save” his property.

Gautam had filed a plea, challenging the May 30 order of the Lokayukta, who had rejected his claim of immunity against probe into the alleged unauthorised construction.

He had contended before Lokayukta that the anti-corruption watchdog was not empowered to probe into MCD councillor Preeti Behan’s allegation, accusing him of having undertaken unauthorised construction at his property.

Behan had approached the Lokayukta for a probe into the alleged unauthorised construction of 109square metre at Gautam’s property in Khichripur.

“According to the constitutional scheme, the deputy speaker does not enjoy any immunity and the allegations of breach of norms are related to a period when he was only an MLA,” the Lokayukta had said after rejecting Gautam’s plea.