HUDA directed to give possession of plot by March 18

CHANDIGARH, Feb 22: On a petition seeking directions to the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and the Sonepat Estate Officer to hand over the physical possession of a plot, a division bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notice to the respondents for March 18.

Pronouncing the orders, Justice R.S. Mongia and Justice Amar Dutt observed: "By the next date of hearing, either the possession of the plot in question be given to the petitioner and in case there is any legal impediment in the delivery of the plot to the petitioner, in that eventuality written statement must be filled on or before the next date of hearing, failing which, the Estate Officer Haryana Urban Development Authority is directed to be personally present with relevant record of the case".

In his petition, Raj Singh of Smalkha in Panipat had earlier sought directions to the respondents to "immediately" hand over the physical possession of a Sector 23 plot in the Urban Estate of Sonepat. He had also sought payment of 18 pc interest per annum on "the amount deposited by the petitioner from the date of deposit to the date of handing over of the physical possession". He had added that the petitioner had deposited the enhanced price after the plot was transferred by the Estate Officer in the petitioner’s name on the original allottee Lajja Ram’s petition. "Since the respondents are not delivering the physical possession of the plot and not paying the interest on the amount within prescribed period, the petitioner is suffering loss", the counsel had added.