Decks cleared for Chandigarh Housing Board scheme draw of lots

[MANOJa]

Chandigarh: In a sigh of relief for Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) and the Chandigarh Administration, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has cleared decks for the draw of lots for over 160 flats under the Self-Financing Housing Scheme of 2010 in Sector 51, Chandigarh. The draw was deferred in March last year after the High Court had ruled that the final outcome of the draw of lots will be subject to outcome of three petitions which had challenged the draw of lots.
The decks have been cleared since the three petitions challenging the draw were withdrawn today. The petitions were withdrawn after the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) filed a detailed affidavit stating that a lawyer had orchestrated the filing of writ petitions and had “threatened” the officials of Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) to not go ahead with the draw of lots since the case was pending before the High Court.

Arguing on behalf of CHB, Advocate Sanjay Kaushal contended that an effort was made to intimidate the officials by the lawyer who had got the petitions filed. Kaushal added that the grievance of the said lawyer was that he (lawyer) was not considered at the time of draw of lots.

Vehemently contesting this claim, Advocate Sanjay Kaushal averred that the contention of the lawyer was factually incorrect since the lawyer had never filed his application with the CHB. last year CHB had put the draw of lots on hold.

CHB, in its affidavit, also produced the details and contents of SMSes sent by the lawyer to the CHB officials. The High Court took serious note of the allegations levelled by the CHB.

The petitioners later withdrew the petitions. Last year the High Court, while making the outcome of draw of lots subject to the decision of the writ petitions, had ruled that “ the procedure adopted by the Housing Board prima facie appears to be an attempt to confine the draw of lots to a particular group of candidates”.



Decks cleared for Chandigarh Housing Board scheme draw of lots

[sublimation]

Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) will hold the final draw of lots for 160 flats in Sector 51 under the Self-Financing Housing Scheme of 2010. Last week, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had allowed the CHB to hold the draw after the three petitions against the draw were withdrawn. The draw will be held at Bal Bhawan in Sector 23 on Tuesday at 11:00 am.
Source:The Tribune