Recovery of Dues by Directorate of Estates
M. Ravindranath
(Querist) 20 April 2011
This query is : Resolved
Dear Sir,
I fought a CAT Case with the Estate Office, N. Delhi in 1996. The issue was their demand for market rent from a hostel Accommodation allotted by them in that year. First they allotted one accommodation on 11th Floor of a Govt. Hostel and then allotted on the 5th floor of the same building later. However, due to a misunderstanding between CPWD (Custodians of the accommodation), Estate OFfice and myself, the first accommodation remained in my name as also the 2nd one where I had lived for 5 years.
I had filed a case in CAT against the Estate Office and the Ruling in Dec. 1996 was that the Estate Office shoudl not recover any dues from me as they had follwed a wrong Section under the PPA, 1971, but should initiate legal proceedings under Section 7 of PPA. However, the Estate OFfice did not take any action for 15 years. I had since vacated the 2nd one in 1997.
Now, the Estate OFfice is demanding Rs. 46,249/- from me through a letter dt. 06.4.2011 on account of market rent for the 1st accommodation. Now, is it not time-barred? Can they recover this dues from me in this manner after 15 years? What should I do?
Guest
(Expert) 21 April 2011
Government dues never become time-barred. However, in reply you can ask the Estate Office to produce the order of the competent court of law in pursuance of the earlier judgment of the CAT for legal proceedings. That of course has become time-barred under the provisions of law of limitation.
