New Delhi, July 16 (IANS) What is common between Jagdish Tytler, Vinod Khanna, Renuka Chowdhury, Ram Vilas Paswan and Shakeel Ahmed ? All of them are among 36 former MPs who are unauthorised occupants of government accommodation in Delhi’s Lutyen’s zone, a Right to Information (RTI) application has found out.
The RTI application was filed by Delhi-based activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal, who had asked for the list of unauthorised occupants in government accommodation, including those parliamentarians who had lost in the 2009 elections.

In its reply to the query, the urban development ministry’s estate department said it has prepared a list of 36 “unauthorised occupants of general pool bungalows”, including many high profile former parliamentarians.

On the procedure and present status of evicting the unauthorised occupants, the department said: “Cancellation of allotment is made against the allottee in case of unauthorised occupation and eviction proceedings under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, are initiated to get the accommodation vacated. All such cases have been referred to litigation division for necessary action.”

Asked if electricity and water supply has been stopped to such unauthorised occupants, it said this was the responsibility of the civic agency concerned - the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).

Agrawal said these former MPS should take inspiration from Shabana Azmi, who went to attend her last day in Rajya Sabha after vacating her government-bungalow allotted to her.

“They should also take lesson from healthy tradition in Britain where new Prime Minister enters his official residence at 10 Downing Street (London) just after taking oath, because the outgoing Prime Minister immediately vacates it after quitting as Prime Minister,” he added.

Noting that the supreme court had been passing strictures against politicians staying on in their official accommodations, he said the apex court should ask other courts not to be soft towards petitions requesting permission to retain government accommodation when not entitled to it.

“Apart from amending Section 441 (criminal trespass) of Indian Penal Code as suggested by the apex court, the government can stop pensions of retired parliamentarians for overstaying, apart from disqualifying them from contesting elections or having some official post like of governor or chairperson of a commission,” Agarwal said.

The ex-MPs or ministers who are unauthorised occupants of general pool bungalows are A. Narendra, Jagdish Tytler, L. Ganeshan, Saleem Sherwani, Basanagouda R. Patil, Faggan Singh Kulaste, Jual Oram, Kashiram Rana, Santosh Gangwar, Vallabhbhai Kathiriya, Vinod Khanna, Charanjit Singh Atwal, S.N. Jatiya, S.S. Badal, Subhash Maharia, K. Yerran Naidu, George Fernandes, V. Radhika Selvi, Naranbhai Rathwa, Raghunath Jha, Renuka Chowdhury, Shankersinh Vaghela, Kanti Singh, Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Taslimuddin, Mahavir Prasad, Mani Shanker Aiyar, Suryakanta Patil, Ram Vilas Paswan, Santosh Mohan Dev, Subbalakshmi Jagadeesan, Mohd Ali Ashraf Fatmi, Jai Prakash Narain Yadav, Shakeel Ahmed and P.R. Kyndiah.