Retention of govt accommodation by officers causes inconvenience: Delhi court

Retention of government accommodation by officers not only causes inconvenience but creates a barrier to others waiting for it, a Delhi court has said, directing an army official to vacate the property she was in "unauthorised occupation" of.

District Judge Yashwant Kumar ordered Lt Col Venus Deshwal to vacate the government residence on Manekshaw Marg in Delhi Cantonment area.

Lt Col Deshwal was allotted the residence in May 2016, but she was asked to vacate the premises in October 2017 when she was to undertake her scheduled training for a course at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here.

She was told to register her name for House Rent Allowance, which she would have received after vacating the property.

However, the officer refused to do so, saying she was not aware of any such policy according to which she had to vacate the property when going for study leave.

The Central government has told the court that there were 420 officers on waiting list as on August 16, 2018 for the government accommodation.

"If such practice of retention of the government accommodation is being adopted by the officers, it would not only cause inconvenience but create a barrier to the officers who are on waiting list.

"The appellant has already retained the premises in question for a considerable time and as per the aforesaid rules, she has to vacate the said premises which is in unauthorised occupation," the court said.