The Supreme Court Friday decided to examine whether ex-chief ministers could be provided with government accommodation on the lines of former Presidents and prime ministers.
A bench, comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal, Justice C K Thakker and Justice R V Raveendran, issued notices to the Centre and the states on the petition filed by a non-governmental organisation Lok Prahari in this regard.
Lok Prahari alleged that despite an Allahabad High Court direction, the Uttar Pradesh government had framed Ex-Chief Ministers Residence Allotment Rules 1997 (Non Statutory) for allotting bungalows to successive Ex-chief ministers.
During the hearing, the NGO said the beneficiaries of the rule were former chief ministers of all parties. The ex-chief ministers whose name figured during the hearing were - N D Tiwari, Ram Naresh Yadav, Kalyan Singh, Rajnath Singh, Mayawati and V P Singh.
The NGO has contended that the rules framed in 1997 for allotment of government bungalows to ex-chief ministers were unconstitutional and illegal, and those occupying them were allegedly unauthorised occupants within the purview of the UP Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act.
Further, the retention of government accommodation by chief ministers after demitting office was against the Provisions of UP Ministers (Salaries/allowances and other facilities) Act, the petitioner contended.