Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress leader Mohua Moitra on Thursday withdrew her plea from the Delhi High Court which was moved against the cancellation of her government-allotted accommodation and said she will approach the Directorate of Estates as per the rules.
Moitra was approaching the high court seeking directions to quash the notice to vacate the accommodation by January 7, which was received after she was expelled from the Lok Sabha in connection with the “cash-for-question” allegations.
Senior advocate Pinaki Misra, representing Moitra, submitted before Justice Subramonium Prasad that they will move the Directorate of Estates of the central government seeking permission to allow the TMC leader to stay at the bungalow till the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Allowing her to withdraw the plea, the high court on Thursday noted that the government shall take action on the issue as per the law.
Moitra was held guilty of “unethical conduct” and expelled from the Lok Sabha on December 8, 2023, for allegedly accepting gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani and sharing her user ID and password of the Parliament website with him.
The plea moved by her contended that the Directorate of Estates’ order had been issued following her expulsion from the Lok Sabha.
“The impugned order is premature as the validity of the petitioner’s expulsion is pending adjudication before the Supreme Court of India,” the plea read.
“In such circumstances where whether the petitioner is an ‘unauthorised occupant’ at all is under adjudication before the highest constitutional court of the land, the respondent no.1 (Directorate of Estates), as an executing authority, cannot initiate proceedings under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act 1971 for evicting the petitioner,” it added.
“It is only once the petitioner’s claim over rightfully occupying the government accommodation is duly adjudicated, does the question of the estate office’s/ respondent no.1’s jurisdiction arise,” it said further.
Notably, the Supreme Court on Wednesday gave no immediate relief to Moitra in the cash-for-query case but sought response from the Secretary General of Lok Sabha Secretariat within three weeks on her plea challenging her expulsion from the Lower House. It refused to pass any order on her plea seeking permission to participate in the Lok Sabha proceedings.
ALSO READ | No immediate relief to Moitra in cash-for-query case Follow channel on WhatsApp
NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress leader Mohua Moitra on Thursday withdrew her plea from the Delhi High Court which was moved against the cancellation of her government-allotted accommodation and said she will approach the Directorate of Estates as per the rules.
Moitra was approaching the high court seeking directions to quash the notice to vacate the accommodation by January 7, which was received after she was expelled from the Lok Sabha in connection with the “cash-for-question” allegations.
Senior advocate Pinaki Misra, representing Moitra, submitted before Justice Subramonium Prasad that they will move the Directorate of Estates of the central government seeking permission to allow the TMC leader to stay at the bungalow till the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });
Allowing her to withdraw the plea, the high court on Thursday noted that the government shall take action on the issue as per the law.
Moitra was held guilty of “unethical conduct” and expelled from the Lok Sabha on December 8, 2023, for allegedly accepting gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani and sharing her user ID and password of the Parliament website with him.
The plea moved by her contended that the Directorate of Estates’ order had been issued following her expulsion from the Lok Sabha.
“The impugned order is premature as the validity of the petitioner’s expulsion is pending adjudication before the Supreme Court of India,” the plea read.
“In such circumstances where whether the petitioner is an ‘unauthorised occupant’ at all is under adjudication before the highest constitutional court of the land, the respondent no.1 (Directorate of Estates), as an executing authority, cannot initiate proceedings under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act 1971 for evicting the petitioner,” it added.
“It is only once the petitioner’s claim over rightfully occupying the government accommodation is duly adjudicated, does the question of the estate office’s/ respondent no.1’s jurisdiction arise,” it said further.
Notably, the Supreme Court on Wednesday gave no immediate relief to Moitra in the cash-for-query case but sought response from the Secretary General of Lok Sabha Secretariat within three weeks on her plea challenging her expulsion from the Lower House. It refused to pass any order on her plea seeking permission to participate in the Lok Sabha proceedings.
ALSO READ | No immediate relief to Moitra in cash-for-query case Follow channel on WhatsApp
