LS passes bill seeking crackdown on illegal occupants of govt residences

Of the total 15,416 residential accommodation under the government quota, "currently 3081 cases were under litigation," said Hardeep Singh Puri

Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill which seeks to crackdown on unauthorised occupants of government residential accommodations.

Responding to a debate on the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri said it was a good time to push through the legislation as many MPs were waiting for their new accommodation.

Residential accommodation was a privilege which certain sections, including the MPs and judges, enjoy, but even after the tenure of the authorised occupants ceases, they don't easily vacate the accommodation given to them, he said.

Therefore the intention through this amendment is to ensure that the occupants will be left with little option and would have to voluntarily move out of the accommodation, he said.

Of the total 15,416 residential accommodation under the government quota, "currently 3081 cases were under litigation," which was a matter of concern, he told the House.

"We are proposing three specific amendments," the minister further added.

The amendments will facilitate smooth and speedy eviction of unauthorised occupants from government residences which would then be available for allotment to eligible persons on maturity of their turn in the waiting list.

The proposed amendments would enable the estate officer to apply summary proceedings for evicting unauthorised occupants from residential accommodations and to levy damage charges for accommodation held during the period of litigation.

The Centre has to evict unauthorised occupants from government accommodations under the provisions of the PPE Act, 1971.

The bill was passed by the Lower House by a voice vote.