Justice Mukta Gupta, a vacation judge, on Friday stayed the eviction order and sought response from the Central government, directorate of estate and the Rajya Sabha secretariat by July two on the Congress leaders' plea.
Two Congress leaders- Ambika Soni and Kumari Selja have moved the Delhi High Court against Centre's notice to vacate the government bungalows allotted to them when they were ministers during the UPA government.
The Rajya Sabha MPs –Soni and Selja are presently staying at 22, Akbar Road and 7, Motilal Nehru Marg bungalows respectively. These houses are Type VIII government bungalows, which are allotted to ministers. The urban development ministry on May 25 had issued eviction order to them.
Justice Mukta Gupta, a vacation judge, on Friday stayed the eviction order and sought response from the Central government, directorate of estate and the Rajya Sabha secretariat by July two on the Congress leaders' plea.
Appearing for the petitioners (Soni and Selja), senior advocate KTS Tulsi alleged that the BJP has "mala fide intention against members of opposition" and asking them to shift from Type VIII accommodation to Type VII.
He argued that both the leaders are Rajya Sabha members and have four more years in their term and they can hold the accommodation for one month after their term as MP expires.
"The eviction orders were guided by mala fide intentions of the ruling establishment against the members of the opposition in Parliament," Tulsi said.
Further, he submitted these bungalows were allotted to these MPs from Rajya Sabha housing pool and the urban development ministry cannot intervene into this issues. He further claimed that the allotment was cancelled without giving them a proper hearing.
"If the ministry cancels the bungalows allotted to the Rajya Sabha house members then the whole purpose of house pool is defeated," the lawyer said.
Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain appearing for the central government told the court there was an acute "shortage of accommodation" in general pool and MPs were not entitled to Type-VIII houses. Four union ministers are yet to get Type VIII accommodation."
The plea filed by the two ministers said: "Senior parliamentarians, who have held office as a Union Cabinet minister, or chief minister of a state or a Governor or Speaker of the Lok Sabha, amongst others, are eligible according to the policy published on the website of the Rajya Sabha.
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