Omar Abdullah to vacate high security Srinagar residence

Sep 9, 2020

Srinagar: Former Chief Minister and Vice President of the regional National Conference (NC), Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday that he has decided to vacate his official residence in the high security Gupkar Road area of Srinagar city.

Omar on Wednesday made public a letter he wrote to the administrative secretary, estates, hospitality and protocol.

The letter is, however, dated July 31, 2020.

In his letter Omar said he was allotted house G-1 in his capacity as a member of the Parliament representing the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.

“Consequent upon my election as CM in 2008, the adjoining house was renovated and the complex of G-1 and G-5 was used as the official CM residence from October 2010 onwards.

“I continued to remain in occupation of the accommodation subsequent to my demitting the office of the CM in January 2015, as the rules allowed for me to retain an accommodation in Srinagar or Jammu and I chose to retain an accommodation in Srinagar.

“Consequent upon the change of entitlements for former CMs of J&K some months ago, I now find myself in unauthorised occupation of this accommodation as no attempt has been made to regularise the allotment to me on security or other grounds. This situation is unacceptable to me”.

In his tweet on Wednesday Omar said, “My letter to the J&K administration. I will be vacating my government accommodation in Srinagar before the end of October. The point to note is that, contrary to stories planted in the media last year I received no notice to vacate & have chosen to do so of my own accord”.

It must be mentioned that as per the rules made by the J&K government in the past, former Chief Ministers could retain the official accommodation they held during their tenure.

Consequent upon the abrogation of Article 370, the rule allowing this privilege of the Chief Ministers in J&K was not scrapped.IANS