Ghaziabad Development Authority land allotment policy draws flak from HC

The Allahabad High Court today rapped the Ghaziabad Development Authority for allotting a land plot to an Uttar Pradesh minister a decade ago on the very day he made the request "without following any procedure under law" and "at the whims" of the political leader.

Justice Sabhajeet Yadav said that on August 08, 2001, Satish Sharma, who was a minister of state in the then BJP government in the state, had made a written request for a 395 square metres' plot in Shaktikhand under Indirapuram Scheme and the allotment was made on the very same day by the then Vice Chairman of Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA).

"The action taken by the authorities prima facie appears to be without following any procedure under law and at the whims of the state minister.

"In case there exists any policy of GDA in respect of allotment of flats, plots and buildings to MLAs, MPs or any other high personality under any such scheme, the same is not available on record.

"But such a policy would be arbitrary and unreasonable", the court said.

Fixing July 3 as the next date of hearing in the matter, the court directed the Vice Chairman of GDA "to bring on record the aforesaid policy of GDA", besides the correspondence between the minister and the Ghaziabad Development Authority which resulted in the allotment.

The court also asked the GDA to bring on record details of "other ministers, MPs, MLAs and other officers who have been benefited by this policy".

The court also observed that "it transpires from the record that there exists a policy of Ghaziabad Development Authority wherein blood relations of its employees and officers are allotted flats and plots etc." and that though "this policy has not been brought on record either" such a policy, if in place, could lead to "favouritism and nepotism in a public body like GDA".

... contd.

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