Uttarakhand: HC notices to state govt, ex-CMs over rent for accommodation

The Uttarakhand High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the state government and three former CMs on a PIL challenging the constitutional validity of an act which exempts them from paying market rent for government accommodations allotted to them.

The notices were issued by Justice RC Khulbe of the High Court to the state government and former CMs Vijay Bahuguna, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Bhagat Singh Koshyari, the petitioner's counsel Kartikey Hari Gupta said.

Nishank is now the Union HRD minister and Koshyari is the Governor of Maharashtra.

The next hearing is scheduled for February 11, Gupta said.

The PIL has prayed to the court to declare the act unconstitutional, he said.

The act is an attempt by the state government to overrule the specific mandamus issued in order to recover market rent from the ex-CMs, he said.

The Uttarakhand Former Chief Minister Facility Act was passed recently after the High Court ordered the recovery of market rent running into crores of rupees from ex-CMs for the entire period during which they occupied such accommodations.

The act notified on Tuesday says that former state CMs will have to pay 25 per cent more than the standard government rate for their accommodations whereas other facilities like vehicle, driver and PRO etc will be provided to them free of cost.