The Supreme Court order instructing six former Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh to vacate government bungalows after demitting office, has come as a rude shock for political parties as former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court directives had the approval of all parties.
After the order, the six former CM who will have to vacate houses are : BJP’s Rajnath Singh, now Union home minister, Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati and Congress leaders N.D. Tiwari and Ram Naresh Yadav. All have bungalows in lucknow.
These bungalows are palatial but the monthly rent charged was minimal. The bungalow occupied by Tiwari was Rs 7558, that of Ram Naresh Yadav was Rs 4665 while Mulayam Singh Yadav paid just Rs 13,478 fo his palatial bungalow at 5, Vikramditya Marg.
Kalyan Sngh used to pay Rs 12,031 as rent while Mayawati, who had a over 10,000 sq feet bungalow, paid a rent of Rs 12,500 and Rajnath Singh paid Rs 5300.
After the Supeme Court order, senior officials in Chief Minister’s office went into a huddle and Estate Officer, Yogeshwar Shukla was summoned to the CM’s office and the subsequent meeting continued for almost an hour.
A senior official told ‘The Pioneer’, “The meeting was a ‘routine’ one. We can act only when we see the order. We know as much as you know about it,” he said.
Sources said that officials also had a meeting with two senior IAS officers who were instrumental in forming the Act which was passed by the Assembly on August 30, 2016.
Earlier on August 1, 2016, the Supreme Court directed six former CMs of UP to vacate their official bungalows in lucknow within two months and pay the rent as per market rate for the period falling under unauthorised occupation.
The Apex court said that the government’s 1997 Rules of Allotment were in contravention of the 1981 Act, under which Chief Ministers are supposed to vacate their official residences in 15 days after demitting office. The court said any rule framed in violation of the Act is bad in law. The 1997 rules allow former CMs to retain housing for life.
On August 18, 2016, the then cabinet headed by former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav cleared changes in the 1981 law to incorporate rules framed in 1997, allowing former CMs to retain their government housing. The cabinet also cleared amendments in UP Ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1981, to enable former CMs to occupy government accommodation for life.
The official said: “We will wait for the directives from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the government will act as per the law.”