Court to govt: Explain allotment process of two plots in BKC

The state government, it seems, will have to answer some tough questions pertaining to the allotment of two plots in Bandra-Kurla Complex for housing societies for high court judges.

The state government, it seems, will have to answer some tough questions pertaining to the allotment of two plots in Bandra-Kurla Complex for housing societies for high court judges.

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The Bombay high court on Friday was hearing two public interest litigations filed by Thane environmentalist Niteen Deshpande and former journalist Ketan Tirodkar. The division bench of justice BH Marlapalle and justice UD Salvi sought to know if procedure was followed while changing the user of one of the two plots and shifting reservation in the second case.

“Can a plot reserved for public purpose be dereserved and allotted to a private housing society?” the judges asked, referring to the fact that the 1,400sqm plot for Nyaysagar Cooperative Housing Society was reserved.

And in the case of Siddhant Cooperative Housing Society, the reservation of a court complex was shifted from a plot measuring 4,300sqm to another measuring 1,500sqm. The court sought to know if the government’s policy had been compromised in the allotment, although the policy allows a maximum flat area of 1,076sqft, in the housing society, a flat area measures 1,750sqft. The bench wanted to know if an officer from the revenue department visited the housing societies as some of the members have rented out their flats. The flats were allotted so that the beneficiaries could live with dignity after retirement. “What is the government’s policy on offering flats on rent?” the bench asked.