HC notice to govt on bungalows to former state CMs

PATNA: The

Patna high court

on Monday issued notice to the state government over its rules allowing official bungalows and several other perks to former chief ministers throughout life.


The division bench of Chief Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi and Justice Anjana Mishra took suo motu cognizance of the rules while hearing an appeal by leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to allow him to retain the official 5, Deshratna Marg bungalow allotted to him during the

Mahagathbandhan

government.

It was a counter affidavit filed by the building construction department in which authorities apprised the court about the provisions of official bungalows to former CMs. The rules were framed in 2010.

Soon after rejecting Yadav’s appeal against the single bench judgment, the CJ said the court had taken cognisance of the rules for providing a bungalow lifelong to former CMs and the government would have to reply why not such rules be set aside.

The state government has been directed to come prepared in the court on the issue on Tuesday.

The HC took cognisance in the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s ruling in May last year in which the apex court had quashed the Uttar Pradesh government’s rules allowing former CMs to retain official bungalows along with several other perks.

Meanwhile, Yadav’s public relation officer Shamim Akhtar said they would move the Supreme Court against the high court’s order in which no relief was granted to the leader of opposition on Monday.