Get rid of illegal occupants of govt bungalows, SC tells states

Taking note of a large number of Government bungalows being illegally occupied, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Karnataka Government to “evict” those who are in occupation of such bungalows.

Taking note of a large number of Government bungalows being illegally occupied, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Karnataka Government to “evict” those who are in occupation of such bungalows.

The Bench comprising Justices B N Agarwal and P P Naolekar expressed its annoyance after the state Government counsel Sanjay Hegde informed that out of 61 illegal occupants, 14 were nurses of the Victoria Hospital. Some were Class IV employees.

However, rejecting the affidavit of the state Government, the Bench also asked it to initiate criminal cases against those nurses who were illegally occupying Government accommodation in the state. It also did not pay any consideration to the submission by Hegde that those nurses were in occupation of single room tenements and hence it was not that serious an offence.

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“It is a very important matter. You initiate criminal case and issue arrest warrant against them,” directed the Apex Court.

Hearing a petition seeking eviction of all those who occupied Government bungalows illegally, the court also ordered suspension of 48 Orissa Government officials and registration of criminal cases against them.

A visibly annoyed Bench subsequently asked J K Das, Government counsel appearing for Orissa to immediately comply with the orders and furnish a compliance report within four weeks.

“You suspend and put them behind the bars. Why are you fighting shy of taking action against them?” the Bench asked Das who submitted that some of the unauthorised occupants had already retired. At this, the court went ahead and asked the state to initiate disciplinary proceedings.