This Article is From Aug 17, 2016

Court Directs Estranged Wife Of Omar Abdullah To Vacate Lutyen's Zone Bungalow

Court Directs Estranged Wife Of Omar Abdullah To Vacate Lutyen's Zone Bungalow

Omar Abdullah demitted the office of chief minister in January 2015.

New Delhi: Payal Abdullah, the estranged wife of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, on Tuesday failed to get any relief from a Delhi court which directed her to vacate the bungalow in Lutyen's zone where she has been living since 1999.

However, her plea in the Delhi High Court to retain the residence or get an alternate government accommodation on security grounds was today adjourned to August 19.

On the last date of hearing on August 12, the High Court had extended till Tuesday the interim protection from eviction granted on July 12.

However, on Tuesday when the matter came before Justice Indermeet Kaur, Payal's counsel sought adjournment and it was renotifed for hearing on August 19.

She had also approached the trial court seeking stay of the June 30 eviction order issued by the Estate Officer of state of Jammu and Kashmir, contending that the order was passed without allowing her to lead evidence and without granting her any personal hearing.

District Judge Amarnath on Tuesday dismissed her plea against the eviction order which she had challenged on the ground that the estate officer of the state did not have the jurisdiction, as the property belonged to the central government.

The centre and the state of Jammu and Kashmir had earlier told the high court that government accommodation was only provided to SPG protectees, to which Payal claimed parity with Subramaniam Swamy, KPS Gill and others, who have Z and Z plus security cover, and had been granted government accommodation.

While she enjoys Z category security cover, each of her sons has Z plus security, comprising of a total 94 personnel. Payal has claimed that so many personnel, their weapons and other security arrangements cannot be accommodated at her private flat in the city.
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