New Delhi, April 13
Delhi Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin recommended to Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Tejendra Khanna that an advisory be issued to the "public functionaries" to abide by the norms of integrity and conduct which placed on public functionary a burden higher than that of an ordinary citizen.
The recommendation said that public functionaries should avoid acquisition and purchase of unauthorized properties which involved violation of municipal bylaws.
The Lokayukta issued the recommendation after going through a complaint submitted by Preeti Behn against MLA Asif Mohammad Khan who represented the Okhla Assembly constituency. In her complaint, Preeti Behn said that the MLA had property that had no sanctioned plan from the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
Responding to a notice issued by the Lokayukta, the MLA admitted that he had been residing at the property since 2000. The area of the plot is 112.87 sq m that has a three-storey building. Each floor has different owners. He had purchased the first floor of the building in the name of his wife Fehmina Khan from Waseem Jahan.
The MLA said that he had not made any alteration in the building. It is in the same original condition. He pleaded that he was not responsible for unauthorized construction. If any inquiry is to be conducted, it should be conducted against the previous owner.
When the matter was referred to the corporation, the enquiry revealed that the size of the plot is 114.96 sq m. It is fully covered from ground floor to third floor. The plot is located in Zakir Nagar that is an unauthorized regularized colony. The owners of different floors had applied for regularization. But application of individual floors could not be considered. When they applied jointly, the case was referred to the Town Planning Department for clarification that confirmed that it was part of layout plan of Zakir Nagar.
However, the application for regularization could not be proceeded as it had cent per cent coverage. The required portion that was a must for demolition to sanction building plan could not be executed due to many owners.
The Lokayukta said that some times the public representatives also have pleaded that being public men they have to live along with the local people whether the place is authorized or unauthorized.
Having gone through the complaint and reply filed by the respondent, the Lokayukta said that public functionaries are required to set a higher standard of conduct than an ordinary citizen.
