Centre gets notice in house allotment case

The Court also ordered the Centre to place on record all the rules relating to allotment of Government houses. The matter is scheduled to come up for hearing on August 5.

“We take cognisance of the article and initiate suo moto action to treat it as a Public Interest Litigation,” ruled the Bench, adding, “Indian politicians are so used to being patronised by the State that they cling to their official residences. It raises a very important question of public importance and public interest.”

The Bench directed the Centre and the Union Urban Development Ministry to file a detailed affidavit stating “whether the allegation in the article, regarding allotment of government properties in violation of the rules, is true or not.”

The Government has also been asked to furnish details on such allotments, if any “when and in whose favour, for what purpose and under what conditions the houses were allotted.”

In her article Jaitly had said: “Housing Delhi’s VIPs has always been a big headache. Everybody in this city claims to be a VIP. Going by the original plans, Government housing was meant for three categories of people – bureaucrats, armed forces and elected representatives. Unfortunately, we were left with a situation where the families of those who had passed away laid claim to properties that once housed them in their days of powers.

“There must be strict rules stating that within a week of person leaving office, he or she must vacate their official quarters. If former British Prime Minister John Major can leave 10, Downing Street within a few hours of being voted out of powers, so can we,” added the article.

It has been alleged that 16 of the Capital’s best properties have been handed over to various trusts and memorials on a permanent basis.