HC tells ex-CMs to vacate bungalows by Dec 16

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 24

The Uttarakhand High Court (HC) has refused to give more time to former Chief Ministers to vacate the government accommodations. The HC directed them to adhere to the deadline of December 16 given by the state government to vacate the bungalows.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice KM Joseph and Justice UC Dhyani refused the plea of the former CMs to extend the deadline of December 16 for evacuation of the bungalows.

The Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), a voluntary group, had petitioned the court against the occupation of the palatial government bungalows by former Chief Ministers and other facilities at public exchequer.

Kartikey Hari Gupta said former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had appealed to the High Court to give him six months to vacate the bungalow. However, rejecting the plea, the court asked all former CMs to strictly adhere to the state government’s order.

The High Court also asked the state government to recover rent from former CMs for occupying the bungalows with retrospective effect. It has also asked the state government to calculate how much money the former CMs will have to pay as rent and submit its calculations to the court. The court will hear the case on November 21.

It was in 2010 when the Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK) had filed a public interest litigation, urging the High Court to issue orders to the state government to get the government bungalows vacated to former CMs.