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Fight over Priyanka's house enters new chapter

The Delhi high court on Tuesday directed that the public interest litigation against the allotment of government accommodation to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's daughter, be amended.

A division bench comprising Justices Y K Sabharwal and K S Gupta said the prayer in the present plea had become infructuous as Vadra has already been allotted the house from the central pool in Lodhi Estate.

Hamsafar, a non-governmental organisation, had moved the PIL urging the court to restrain the government from allotting the type-six bungalow to Vadra, as she was not entitled for such an accommodation. There was no provision for allotment of houses from the central pool to the daughters or sons of ex-prime ministers, the petition said.

The court direction came after Hamsafar's counsel prayed for an adjournment to file an amended writ seeking the cancellation of the allotment.

Additional Solicitor General Madan Lokur, appearing for the government, stated that the petition, in the present form infructuous, should be disposed of.

Vadra was allotted the bungalow after the Special Protection Group, authorised with the job of ensuring her security, requested the Central government for a bigger house. The 120-b Central Avenue house, initially allotted to Vadra, was not secure enough for her safety, the SPG said.

The SPG had also asked for Rs 432,000 to carry out certain renovations in the Lodhi Estate house to meet its security requirements.

The government accepted before Parliament that Vadra was not entitled to such an accommodation, but clarified that she was given the house out of serious security considerations.

The counsel for Hamsafar urged the court to seek clarifications from the government as to who was entitled to be protected by the SPG.

UNI

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