SC asks the overstaying MPs, judges to vacate in a month
6 Jul, 2013The Supreme Court said overstaying in government accommodation encroaches upon the rights of the other person to whom it is to be allotted and set a one-month deadline for ministers, MPs, judges and bureaucrats to vacate their official accommodation after retiring or demitting Government office.
A bench of Justices P Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi expressed concern over MPs, ministers and bureaucrats illegally overstaying in their official accommodation and said they must vacate the premises within a month after demitting office.
It said the time can be extended by another month under special circumstances. The bench framed a slew of guidelines for government authorities to take action against the illegal occupants. “It is unfortunate that MPs and ministers continue to remain in official accommodation beyond their entitlement,” the bench said. It said in the case of MPs, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha should initiate proceedings against them for breach of privilege.
The bench said three months notice should be given to the officials before they are supposed to vacate the premises and reasonable force can be applied against them if they refuse to leave the accommodation. The bench said overstaying in government accommodation encroaches upon the rights of the other person to whom it is to be allotted.
Jagdish K. Gianchandani
The question is why the situation has reached to such a level where the SC has to go into the question of allottmetn and vacation of houses? What is going to be the next cleaning act by the Apex Court?