File photo: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, former Union Minister Farooq Abdullah and the widow of late Congress leader Arjun Singh have been asked by the Urban Development Ministry to vacate the government bungalows occupied by them.
The Cabinet Committee on Accommodation (CCA) had cancelled the allotment of the bungalow to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Singh in April this year. But Mr Singh continued to overstay, so the eviction notice was served by the Directorate of Estates.
According to a senior Urban Development Ministry official, Mr Singh has written to the Directorate of Estates or DoE to allow him to retain the house. Representative of the Himachal Pradesh government will meet meeting DoE on September 29 to sort out the issue.
Besides Mr Singh, an eviction notice has also been served to Abdullah and Arjun Singh's widow Saroj Kumari a few days ago, the official said.
Ms Saroj was allowed to stay at Caning Lane bungalow after the Congress veteran died in 2011. The UPA government had allowed her to stay till 2016 while the NDA cancelled the allotment and asked her to vacate the house.
Mr Abdullah also continues to stay at the Teen Murti Lane house after demitting office in 2014.
The Home Ministry has conveyed verbally to the Urban Development Ministry to let the National Conference leader stay on security grounds.
However, the Urban Development Ministry now wants it in writing so that it could be sent to the Cabinet commission for a final decision, the official added.