Jammu & Kashmir High Court Grants Extension for PIL on Illegal Constructions at Patnitop

Jammu & Kashmir High Court Grants Extension for PIL on Illegal Constructions at Patnitop

VoM News Desk | September 17, 2023 | 06:53 AM IST | Courts & Law, Doda, Jammu Kashmir | Follow on Google News

Jammu & Kashmir High Court Grants Extension for PIL on Illegal Constructions at Patnitop. Image/Daily Excelsior

In an ongoing Public Interest Litigation (PIL) addressing the issue of illegal constructions at Patnitop, the Division Bench of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, comprising Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Justice Rajesh Sekhri, has granted an additional four weeks to Senior AAG Monika Kohli, who is representing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), to take the necessary actions outlined in the order dated July 24, 2023. In the event of non-compliance, the concerned officials will be compelled to appear before the court.

Back on July 24, 2023, the Division Bench had previously granted Senior AAG Monika Kohli six weeks to inform the court regarding whether the requisite sanction had been obtained from the relevant authority to file the charge sheet. If such sanction had not been obtained, the court requested the reasons for the delay.

Going further back to December 31, 2019, the Division Bench had initially issued a directive to the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, calling for an extensive investigation into several issues related to Patnitop. These included encroachments on forest and public lands, unauthorized changes in land use, and misuse of land in contravention of authorized land use. The investigation also aimed to uncover instances of illegal construction, lapses in action by authorities, and the identification of individuals responsible for failing to take action as mandated by law. This comprehensive probe extended to various aspects of illegal construction, its expansion, and its misuse.

The ongoing PIL underscores the commitment of the judiciary to address environmental and legal issues associated with the misuse of land and illegal construction, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas like Patnitop

VoM News Desk

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