Ready to move to type-VII bungalows: Soni, Selja to HC

Congress parliamentarians Ambika Soni and Kumari Selja on Tuesday told the Delhi High Court that they were ready to move to type-VII bungalows and would vacate their type-VIII accommodation.

A division bench of Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Rajiv Shakdher was also told by lawyers for the two Congress leaders that type-VII bungalows allotted to them must be in good livable condition.

The bench asked the Central Public Works Department to repair the houses and posted the matter for August 24.

The court asked Selja to visit the four type-VII bungalows on offer and select the one she wanted.

Soni and Selja had challenged a single-judge order holding they were not entitled to type-VIII bungalows.

Soni and Selja are staying at 22, Akbar Road, and 7, Motilal Nehru Marg, respectively, which were allotted to them when they were ministers in the previous UPA government.

The Modi government cancelled the same and allotted them type-VII bungalows.

Soni and Selja, who are now Rajya Sabha members, accused the BJP-led government of "mala fide intentions against members of the opposition" for asking them to shift to a lower accommodation.

The government on May 5 issued notices to the two ex-ministers, asking them to vacate the government bungalows by June 10 and shift to the alternate accommodations allotted to them.