The district administration, on the orders of Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Shayin, had confiscated a number of properties in the excised area of Ambala Cantonment, the leases of which had lapsed.

The individuals had moved court but lost as they did not have any legal right over the government land. Some of the premier properties under unauthorised possession include the Employment Exchange office building on Staff Road, Robert Pavilion under Banarsi Dass Trust and Behari Lal Trust Dharamshala and Hospital.

The district administration claimed that prior to taking possession of the properties, eviction notices had been issued.

However, the Director of Haryana Urban Local Bodies through a letter dated February 26, raised certain objections over the confiscation of the government properties by the Deputy Commissioner-cum-Estates Officer, stating these properties were resumed without prior permission of the Directorate.

The Local Bodies Director R P Bhardwaj expressed surprise over the action of the Estates Officer and sought clarification from the latter. He sent a copy of the letter to the Executive Officer of the municipal council of Ambala Sadar.

He further pointed out that both the Estates Officer and the Sadar MC should have sought prior permission of either the Directorate or the Government, which was required under the Excised Area Ambala Sadar Agreement.

The DC-cum-EO Shayin said that he was answerable to the state government, which had given him the right to protect public property in the excised area.