Mulayam, Akhilesh withdraw plea seeking time to vacate government bungalows

New Delhi, July 12: Former UP chief ministers Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday withdrew their petitions from the Supreme Court in connection with the issue of vacating their bungalows.

The petition was filed on behalf of both the leaders in connection with May 7 order of the apex court striking down an amendment in a state legislation allowing former CMs to retain government accommodation even after demitting office.

The top court had on May 7 held that former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh cannot retain government accommodation after demitting office and said that a chief minister was at par with a common man once his or her term ends.

The two former Chief Ministers had earlier moved the UP government's estate department seeking two years' time to vacate their official residences and shifting to their private accommodations in Lucknow.

In their pleas filed through advocate Garima Bajaj, they had sought appropriate time to vacate their official bungalows on various grounds.

While the plea filed by Mulayam Singh Yadav sought sufficient time from the court to make arrangements for alternate accommodation, the one by his son Akhilesh has urged the court to consider the security of his family.

"We are requesting the Supreme Court to grant us sufficient time to make arrangements for a suitable alternate accommodation, taking into consideration the security of the petitioner and his family members," Akhilesh said in his plea.

"Grant us sufficient time to make arrangements for a suitable alternate accommodation, taking into consideration the security of the petitioner, age and ill health," plea by Mulayam Singh Yadav said.

Mulayam had even met CM Yogi Adityanath on may 17 but when ice was not broken, he decided to approach the SC itself.

Rajnath Singh and Kalyan Singh are among the six former chief ministers who have been asked by the estate department to vacate the bungalows within 15 days in pursuance of the Supreme Court's order.

However, former UP chief minister and BSP supremo Mayawati recently put up a signboard outside her official accommodation in Lucknow announcing that it was a memorial named after the party founder late Kanshiram.

In that verdict, the court had held that the practice of allotting government bungalows to former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh was bad in law and they should hand over their possession in two months.

It had also said the state government should recover appropriate rent from the occupants of these bungalows for the period of their "unauthorised occupation".