The Jammu and Kashmir administration has initiated proceedings to evict Sat Sharma, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s unit chief in the Union territory, and three other former MLAs from the government accommodations provided to them while they were legislators, reported The Indian Express on Friday.

Sharma was an MLA from Jammu West constituency between 2014 and 2019.

This comes nearly two months after the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court criticised the Estates Department in the Union territory for not initiating eviction proceedings against “illegal occupants” of government accommodations, according to Hindustan Times.

In a status report filed before the High Court recently, Ajay Bharti, the deputy director of estates, stated that an eviction notice was issued to Sharma on November 21. He had also been asked to pay penal rent of Rs 73,470 up to December 30, said Bharti.

Two other former MLAs – Surinder Ambardar and Zaffar Iqbal Manhas – were issued eviction orders on December 28, according to the status report.

The premises were sealed on December 30, Bharti told the High Court.

Ambardar is a BJP leader while Manhas switched over to the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party from the Peoples Democratic Party.

The status report also said that former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta and senior Congress leader SS Channi were among five other leaders who have vacated the accommodation previously allotted to them.

Except for Gupta, all others have received notices to pay overdue rent ranging from Rs 13,993 to Rs 28,211, according to The Indian Express.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on February 19.