This Article is From Oct 06, 2018

Vacate Deputy Chief Minister Bungalow, Court Tells Tejashwi Yadav

Tejashwi Yadav had filed a petition challenging the Bihar government's order that he vacate the official residence allotted to him Bihar deputy chief minister.

Vacate Deputy Chief Minister Bungalow, Court Tells Tejashwi Yadav

Tejashwi Yadav became Bihar deputy chief minister in 2015.

Patna:

The Patna High Court on Saturday dismissed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav's petition challenging the Bihar government's order to vacate the official bungalow allotted to him when he was the deputy chief minister.

The bench of Justice Jyoti Saran dismissed Mr Yadav's petition challenging the Building Construction Department's order, asking him to vacate the 5, Deshratna Marg bungalow.

Agreeing with the contention of the state government, the bench said the government quarter was earmarked for the deputy chief minister and hence, the petitioner had no right to ask for the allotment of the same quarter.

The government quarter on 1, Polo Road, which was allotted to the petitioner was in accordance with the status of his leader of opposition post, the court said.

Through his counsel Abhinav Srivastava, Mr Yadav had sought quashing of the letter issued on September 20, 2017 by the Estate Officer of the Bihar Building Construction Department, Patna, asking him to vacate the government quarter.

On May 18 this year, the court had directed the authorities concerned to maintain status quo with regard to the government quarter in question until the matter was heard on merits.

Appearing for the state government, Advocate General Lalit Kishore told the court that the 5, Deshratna Marg bungalow was earmarked for the deputy chief minister while the one on 1, Polo Road was earmarked for the leader of opposition of the state Assembly.

He said Mr Yadav was allotted the bungalow on 5, Deshratna Marg as the deputy chief minister, while Sushil Kumar Modi was allotted the one on 1, Polo Road as the then leader of opposition. But now that the situation had reversed and he had no rights to keep the bungalow.

Mr Yadav, the younger son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, became the Bihar deputy chief minister in November, 2015 after the Grand Alliance comprising his party, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) and the Congress won a huge majority in the Assembly polls.
 

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