Omar's wife moves HC for govt home on security grounds

NEW DELHI: Payal Abdullah, estranged wife of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has moved Delhi High Court seeking government accommodation for her and her sons on the ground that they enjoyed 'Z' and 'Z plus' security status.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal issued notice to the Centre and sought their response on her appeal challenging a single judge's August 19 order asking her to vacate the 7, Akbar Road bungalow in Lutyen's Delhi where she was residing in.

In her appeal, she has sought a direction to the Centre to provide her and her sons with accommodation on parity with others who enjoyed similar security status and have been given government accommodation.


She has also claimed to be a central government protectee, a claim which the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), represented by advocate Anurag Ahluwalia, had disputed before the single judge.

Her petition claims that she and her sons were living in a rented flat which is not appropriate on security grounds.

In her appeal, she has contended that the August 19 order of the single judge mentioned no date and time of eviction and "hence the very act of summoning and pressing into service of armed public auxiliary/servants of different forces" for giving effect to the order was in violation of The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act.

She has contended that under the Act, possession of a public premises cannot be taken after sunset, whereas she and her sons were evicted on the evening of August 22.