Mayawati's bungalow at Mall Avenue.
Highlights
- 1981 law nixed chief ministers occupying government bungalows for life
- 1997 government order restored privilege, but top court ruled it invalid
- Today government amended 1981 law, making lifetime occupancy possible
Should former Chief Ministers be allotted government bungalows for life: Political and ideological boundaries in Uttar Pradesh appear to melt when it comes to this question. Successive governments have attempted to maintain the privilege that was legal till 1981. Today, it was the turn of the Akhilesh Yadav government, which reasons it has taken care of the technical issues that had foiled an earlier effort in this direction.
If the law passed today by the Akhilesh Yadav government stands scritiny by the Supreme Court, the biggest gainer could be his arch-rival Mayawati, whose bungalow at Mall Avenue in the heart of Lucknow could possibly be the plushest.
The 5-acre, 10-bedroom bungalow has 20-feet walls made of Rajasthan sandstone. All rooms inside have pink marble. There are two statues in the lawns -- one of Mayawati and one of her mentor Kanshi Ram. The huge hall is hung with paintings that depict her life.
Six former chief ministers have bungalows in Lucknow, despite a law passed in 1981 -- during the Congress government led by VP Singh -- that made it mandatory for chief ministers to vacate bungalows within 15 days of demitting office. The privilege had been officially restored with a government order passed by 1997.
But recently, a Supreme Court order that threatened to take it away.
On August 1, the court upheld the 1981 law and ruled that former chief ministers can't occupy official bungalows.
The 1997 government order, the court said, violated the 1981 Act and hence was not valid. The outgoing chief ministers, the court said, would have to vacate bungalows within two months of leaving office.
The Akhilesh Yadav government claims the amended "Uttar Pradesh Ministers Act" will pass the top court's scrutiny since its objection was technical in nature.
The government also reasons that bungalows will help meet the security requirement. "It is ok as former Chief ministers need to meet many people, do a lot of work," said PWD minister Shivpal Yadav, also the uncle of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
Commenting on the unanimity across political lines when the new bill was passed, senior BJP leader Laxmikant Vajpaye said: "Perhaps it would have been better if a multi-storied apartment was built and each former CM could occupy a floor."