HC rejects Vijay Bahuguna’s plea to extend deadline for vacating bungalow
COURT ASKED THE GOVT TO CALCULATE RENT OF THE BUNGALOWS FROM THE DAY THE FORMER CMS OCCUPIED THE GOVT ACCOMMODATION
DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand high court on Wednesday rejected former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna’s plea, which sought an extension of six months to vacate his government bungalow.
A bench of chief justice KM Joseph and justice VK Bisht denied Bahuguna’s request moved through his counsel and asked him to give an undertaking that he will vacate bungalow in due time. On Monday, the state had served notices to five former chief ministers – Vijay Bahuguna, ND Tiwari, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, BC Khanduri and Bhagat Singh Koshyari to vacate their residences by December 16. The state served the notice after a PIL, filed by Dehradun-based Rural Litigation of Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), questioned the bungalow and other facilities provided to former chief ministers.
On October 7, the court asked the state to reply and the Harish Rawat government had issued the notices to the five former chief ministers. The court will meet again on Thursday.
RLEK counsel Kartikeya Gupta has questioned Bahuguna’s plea to extend the deadline. “While hearing a similar PIL, the Supreme Court in August ordered former Uttar Pradesh chief ministers to vacate their bungalow within two months. Uttarakhand’s case is not different — why do they need six months to vacate their residence?” he asked.
The court also asked state to calculate the rent of the bungalows from the day the former chief ministers occupied the government accommodation, according to the market rates. The state government is expected to submit the duly calculated rent before the court on Thursday.