Mulayam Singh Yadav seeks more time to vacate govt bungalow

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav has sought a two-year extension from the UP government to vacate his bungalow. He cited age and ill health in his letter.

The development comes days after the department served notice on him and five other former chief ministers, asking them to vacate their government bungalows within 15 days following a Supreme Court order.

On May 7, the Supreme Court struck down Section 4 (3) of the UP Ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2016, that allowed former chief ministers to stay in government bungalows. The top court said that such a legislation was "arbitrary, discriminatory and unsupported by the Indian Constitution".

As many as six UP CMs were served eviction notice by the state government on May 18 after the apex court annulled a state law that allowed former UP CMs to occupy government accommodations.

On May 17, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government had issued notices to at least six former Uttar Pradesh chief ministers, including those from the BJP, to vacate their official bungalows in Lucknow within 15 days. They are Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Kalyan Singh, Mayawati, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav and Rajnath Singh.

On May 21, former chief minister and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Maywati appeared to have defied the Supreme Court's order after a signboard declaring the government bungalow allotted to her as a memorial was seen. The sign said the building was now the Sri Kanshiram ji Yadgar Vishram Sthal (Sri Kanshi Ramji Memorial Rest House).

(with PTI inputs)