Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 18: Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sanjeev Kumar has issued notice to Director Estates for filing statement of facts in a contempt petition filed by a specially abled lawyer Suraj Singh.
Through the contempt petition the lawyer is seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings against Minister Incharge Estates and Director Estates for non-compliance of the directions of the Division Bench whereby Minister Estates had been directed to accord consideration to the claim of the specially abled lawyer for Government accommodation under the 5% discretionary quota vested with Minister for Estates.
When the contempt petition came up for hearing, Advocates S C Gupta and Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for specially abled lawyer Suraj Singh submitted that despite the expiry of the time limit fixed by the Division Bench the Minister Incharge Estates has failed to consider the case of the petitioner for allotment of residential accommodation and the inaction on the part of the Minister has compelled the petitioner to knock the doors of the court by invoking contempt jurisdiction.
“The petitioner is the only specially abled lawyer in entire Jammu province with 100% visual disability and belongs to a far flung village Thal falling in Lohai Malhar area of Billawar and by dint of his hard work qualified LLB (Professional) and later enrolled as Advocate and presently practicing in the Jammu Wing of the High Court for the last more than six years”, Advocate Gupta said, adding “specially abled lawyer has no residential house in Jammu and his case for Government accommodation deserves sympathetic consideration by the Minister Estates under 5% discretionary quota”.
After considering the submissions of counsels appearing for the specially abled lawyer, DB issued notice to Director Estates in the first instance and deferred notice to Minister for Estates at this stage. The DB directed the Director Estates to file his statement of facts in the contempt petition.
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