The Bombay High Court on Thursday was of the opinion that the bureaucrats and the judicial officers, who have at least one property in Maharashtra should not be allotted another one under any government scheme. While hearing a public interest litigation filed by activist Ketan Tirodkar, the division bench headed by Justice B R Gavai, questioned the state government’s decision to construct a high-rise residential building in suburban Oshiwara for sitting high court judges.
After hearing the arguments, Justice Gaval was of the opinion that, there is no need for allotment of property, under any government scheme, to those bureaucrats and judicial officers, who already have a property in Maharashtra.
The bench and posted the petition for hearing on Friday and directed Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhkoni to take up the issue with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday itself.
According to Tirodkar’s petition, in August 2015, the government had sanctioned a housing scheme for the serving judges on a 32,300 sq ft public plot in Oshiwara, following a request made in this regard by the proposed cooperative housing society of the judges.
While the construction is yet to be carried out, the government has offered 84 homes, each of 1,076 square feet, on ownership basis, to the judicial officers. While the government has sanctioned the membership of 39 judges so far, two serving judges have since surrendered their claim.
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