Nearly 40 former MPs yet to vacate official bungalows; eviction orders issued

Nearly 40 former Lok Sabha MPs have not still vacated their official bungalows in Lutyens' Delhi, prompting authorities to start issuing eviction orders under the amended Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, sources said.

The amended law empowers government to issue a show-cause notice, seeking reply of the unauthorised occupants within three days, the duration reduced from 15 days, as mandated under the previous law.

"41 ex-MPs have not yet vacated their official bungalows. Authorities have started issing eviction orders to them," one of the sources said.

On August 19, the Lok Sabha Housing Committee headed by CR Patil ordered around 200 ex-MPs, who did not vacate their bungalows, to give up the facility within a week and disconnected power, water and cooking gas connections to the residences within three days.

Since the order, most of the ex-MPs have vacated their official bungalows, but 41 former MPs are yet to do so.

According to the rules, former MPs have to vacate their bungalows within a month of dissolution of the previous Lok Sabha.

President Ram Nath Kovind on May 25 dissolved the 16th Lok Sabha with immediate effect on the recommendation of the Union Cabinet after the Modi government was formed for a second term.