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Key Points

The Centre has informed the Delhi High Court that Arvind Kejriwal will be allotted an appropriate government bungalow within the next ten days. This came after arguments between AAP's lawyer, who demanded a higher-category bungalow, and the Solicitor General. The court had previously criticized the government for delays in making a decision on the allotment. The AAP's petition is based on guidelines entitling the president of a recognized national party to a government residence in Delhi.

Key Points: Centre Tells HC Arvind Kejriwal to Get Appropriate Bungalow in 10 Days

  • Centre assures Delhi HC that Arvind Kejriwal will get a suitable bungalow within 10 days
  • AAP lawyer Rahul Mehra argued for a Type 7 or 8 bungalow for the party chief
  • Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contested the demand, stating common people don't fight for such houses
  • The court had previously pulled up the government for delay, demanding transparency in the allotment process
2 min read

Arvind Kejriwal to get appropriate bungalow in 10 days: Centre tells HC

Delhi High Court hears Centre's assurance to allot a government bungalow to AAP's Arvind Kejriwal within 10 days, following arguments over the bungalow type.

"Kejriwal would be allotted an 'appropriate' government bungalow in Delhi within the next ten days as per the rules. - Solicitor General Tushar Mehta"

New Delhi, Sep 25

The Centre informed the Delhi High Court on Thursday that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal will be given an ‘appropriate’ bungalow in the next 10 days.

The submission was made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta before Justice Sachin Datta, who said that an order will be passed after taking his statement on record.

The respective counsels, however, argued on the type of bungalow to be allotted to former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Rahul Mehra, the lawyer representing the AAP, demanded allotment of a Type 8 or Type 7 bungalow for Kejriwal, a claim contested by the Solicitor General, who stated that common people do not fight for a Type 8 bungalow.

He, however, assured the court that Kejriwal would be allotted an 'appropriate' government bungalow in Delhi within the next ten days as per the rules.

In the previous hearing, the High Court had pulled up the government for the delay in the decision to allot the residential accommodation to Kejriwal. It said that the allotment of residential accommodation must be transparent and cannot be based purely on the 'whims' of the authorities.

At the time of the hearing, the Centre’s counsel had told the court that the Type 7 bungalow at 35, Lodhi Estate, which the AAP had proposed to allot to Kejriwal, was allotted to Union Minister of State (MoS) for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary. The Delhi High Court then directed that the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Director of the Directorate of Estates be present in today’s hearing via video conferencing.

Notably, AAP has been demanding a government residence for Arvind Kejriwal in the national capital, given the fact that he is the president of a recognised national party.

In its petition, it has also cited the guidelines for allotment of accommodation, which state that the president of a recognised national party is entitled to a government residence in Delhi if they neither own a house nor have one allotted in any other official capacity.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While I support proper housing for political leaders, this whole "Type 7 vs Type 8" debate seems unnecessary. In a country where many don't have proper homes, such arguments don't sit well. Just give him a decent bungalow as per rules and move on.
A
Aditya G
The Solicitor General's comment about "common people not fighting for Type 8 bungalows" is quite telling. Shows how disconnected our system is from ground realities. At least the court is ensuring transparency in the process. 👍
S
Sarah B
Interesting how the bungalow originally proposed for Kejriwal went to a Union Minister. The timing seems suspicious. Glad the court is monitoring this closely. Rules should be followed without political bias.
K
Karthik V
As president of a recognized national party, Kejriwal is entitled to official accommodation. The delay was unnecessary. Hope this sets a precedent for transparent allotments for all political leaders regardless of party affiliation.
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Nisha Z
While I understand the need for official residences, I wish our leaders would show similar urgency in solving housing problems for common citizens. The energy spent on bungalow classifications could be better used elsewhere. Just my thoughts.

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