HP panel to look into benami land deals

SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh government today appointed a one-man commission under Justice D P Sood, retired judge of Himachal Pradesh High Court, with its headquarters at Shimla to enquire into the issues relating to benami land transactions in the state since 2003.
An official spokesman said that the commission had been appointed under sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952.“The commission will submit its report within a period of six months,” he added.
He said that an announcement to this effect had been made by chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in the last session of the vidhan sabha and earlier the government had approached the Chief Justice of the H P High Court to provide the services of a sitting judge to head the commission, but the latter had shown his inability to do so.
The spokesman said that the commission would enquire into the issues relating to benami land transactions in violation of section 118 of the H P Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972 since 2003, which had resulted in transfer of agriculture land to non agriculturists.
“It will also inquire into all violations of the statutory provisions regarding issuance of Essentiality Certificates Under the H P Apartment and Property Regulation Act, 2005 since its inception till March 31 this year. The commission may also gives its finding on any other issue which may be relevant to the issues being probed,” he claimed.
He said that the chief minister had also written D O letters to the main opposition leaders to supply information regarding violation of the Acts, but none of them had responded to the request.