DQ Allotment In Odisha: HC Seeks Fresh Affidavit On Implementation Of Task Force Report

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court here has sought a status update on implementation of report of task force on allotment of more than one plot, flat or house to the same family under the discretionary quota (DQ) in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack since January 1, 1995.

In its report submitted on November 3, 2014, the task formed by the Odisha government had identified 1,099 beneficiaries with multiple allotments. The government passed a resolution on January 3, 2015, to implement the report.

While hearing a PIL, a division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice M S Raman noted that the affidavit filed by the state government on May 17, 2022, stated that SP (Vigilance), Cuttack, had submitted an action taken report on implementation of the task force’s report.

While 667 files related to multiple allotments were obtained for inquiry, 162 were inquired into and 72 cases were registered. After inquiry, 104 files were returned and 401 were pending.

The court asked for a fresh affidavit giving updated status before the next date of hearing on April 4. 2023.

In December 2014, the government decided to cancel 1,791 allotments of residential plots and houses in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack made under discretionary quota between 1995 and 2014 after then revenue secretary Tara Dutt submitted a 592-page report indicating how chairpersons of the three government bodies had allotted plots and houses to a select group of people without any particular criteria.

In November this year, the government, however, decide to exclude single allottees under the quotas from the purview of the task force report.