Controversial palatial house of Ex-Dy CM in Nagrota
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 28: The Judicial Member of Jammu & Kashmir Special Tribunal Jammu Rajesh Sekri today granted last and final opportunity to the Jammu Development Authority(JDA) and the appellant Mamta Singh wife of Dr. Nirmal Singh, former Deputy Chief Minister,J&K to file objections to the application of the whistleblower Advocate Muzzaffar Ali Shah, seeking his impleadment as Party Respondent in the appeal filed against the order of demolition issued by the JDA against Dr. Nirmal Singh, former Deputy Chief Minister and his wife for raising a palatial house at village Ban (Panjgrain), in Nagrota allegedly without seeking any building permission from JDA.
When the matter came up for hearing today on virtual mode before the Bench headed by Rajesh Sekhri, Member(J), advocate Rahul Sadotra appearing for the appellant Mamta Singh sought yet another opportunity to file objections to the application for impleadment moved by advocate Muzzaffar Ali Shah. At this stage, the court enquired from the Counsel appearing for the JDA, advocate Adarsh Sharma, as to whether JDA is filing its objections to the application today, the Counsel for JDA also sought further time to file the objections.
Advocate Shah submitted that both the appellant and JDA have already been given more than a month’s time on the last date of hearing and they have not filed the objections and both the parties want to prolong the matter, so that the matter gets delayed. He further submitted that the matter can be listed for final hearing after impleading him as party respondent as it will not cause any prejudice to any of the parties since he is only going to render assistance to the court for arriving at a just conclusion.
After considering the submissions of the rival parties and keeping in view the urgency and the public interest involved in the matter, the J&K Special Tribunal granted last and final opportunity to the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) and the appellant Mamta Singh to file objections to the application for impleadment and further directed the registry to list the matter on February 7, 2022. The court has further extended the stay on demolition till the next date of hearing.
It is worthwhile to mention herein that the JDA on November 8, 2021 issued final demolition Notice under section 7(3) of the Building Control Operations Act, 1988 directing Dr. Nirmal Singh and his wife Mamta Singh to demolish the alleged illegal/unauthorised construction raised at village Ban(Panjgrain), Nagrota on their own within a period of five days failing which the Enforcement Wing of the JDA would carry on demolition of the alleged illegal construction.
However, Mamta Singh filed an appeal against the demolition order and obtained interim relief from J&K Special Tribunal, Jammu whereby the demolition had been stayed.
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