Centre assures ‘appropriate’ bungalow for Arvind Kejriwal within 10 days
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New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday informed the Delhi High Court that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal will be allotted an “appropriate” government bungalow in the national capital within the next 10 days.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta made the submission before Justice Sachin Datta, who said an order would be passed after taking his statement on record. The assurance came during a hearing on the allotment of a government residence to the former Delhi Chief Minister.
During the proceedings, counsels for both sides argued over the category of bungalow to be allotted. Rahul Mehra, representing AAP, pressed for a Type 8 or Type 7 bungalow for Kejriwal — a claim disputed by the Solicitor General, who remarked that “common people do not fight for a Type 8 bungalow”. Nevertheless, Mehta assured the court that a suitable government accommodation would be provided to Kejriwal as per the rules.
At the previous hearing, the High Court had criticised the government for delaying its decision, stressing that allotment of residential accommodation must be transparent and cannot depend purely on the “whims” of the authorities.
The Centre’s counsel had also told the court earlier that the Type 7 bungalow at 35, Lodhi Estate, which AAP had proposed for Kejriwal, had already been allotted to Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary. Following this, the High Court directed that the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Director of the Directorate of Estates be present in Thursday’s hearing via video conferencing.
AAP has been pressing for a government residence for Kejriwal, arguing that as the president of a recognised national party he is entitled to official accommodation in Delhi. In its petition, the party also cited the government’s guidelines on allotment of accommodation, which stipulate that the president of a recognised national party is eligible for a government residence in the capital if they do not own a house or have one allotted in any other official capacity.
With IANS inputs