J&K HC asks SMC officials to submit property details by Nov 21

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Jammu and Kashmir High Court today directed senior and mid-level officials of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) to file individual undertakings about the properties owned by them and their spouses before November 21.
A division bench of the court comprising Justices M H Attar and A M Magray issued the direction after they expressed dissatisfaction over the details of properties owned by the SMC staffers submitted to the court today.
"The details of the property submitted by the SMC do not satisfy the requirements of the court," Justice Attar observed after proceedings of the public interest litigation on illegal constructions that have come up in violation of Srinagar Master Plan over the years.

The court had last month directed the SMC to submit a list of properties owned by its employees by November 8.
Justice Attar directed that the Joint Commissioner, Chief Khilafwarzi Officer, Khilafwarzi Officers, Ward Officers and Building Inspectors submit individual undertakings about the properties owned by senior and mid-level officials and their spouses before the next date of hearing on November 21.
Seeking details regarding the nature and location of the properties, the court directed these officials not to deal in these properties till further orders.
The High Court had ordered sealing of 42 buildings in the city which had come up in violation of the Master Plan. It turned down a plea of the affected businessmen to allow them to resume operations till the court decides the case.

However, the court today allowed some of the businessmen to take out the perishable items from their premises within the sealed buildings. It also allowed Jammu and Kashmir Bank to take out records pertaining three business units located in the sealed buildings.