New Delhi: The Delhi government has asked former chief minister Sheila Dikshit to pay up Rs 3.25 lakh as rent for overstaying in her official bungalow, even as it initiated the process to vacate official residences still under possession of the two former Congress ministers.
The Public Works Department has also asked former Congress ministers Kiran Walia, Arvinder Singh Lovely and Harun Yusuf to pay Rs 5.8 lakh, 6.5 lakh and 2.9 lakh respectively as rent decided on the basis of market rates.
While Walia, like Dikshit, had vacated her official bungalow earlier this month, Lovely and Yusuf are yet to do so.
PWD has now written to the Estate Office asking it to start the proceeding to take possession of official residences of Lovely and Yusuf at the earliest.
"We are waiting for the Estate office`s reply in this regard. Further actions will taken on the basis of the reply," a senior PWD official told PTI, adding that the entire process of taking possession does not take more than one month.
As per rules, former ministers can stay in official residences free of cost for 15 days after demitting office. Afterwards, if they choose to stay there (maximum of six months), they are required to pay rent at market rates.
Sources said the former ministers had been served notices in this regard on an earlier occasion as well, but they did not respond.
Dikshit has already vacated her Moti Lal Nehru Place residence and shifted to a private apartment. Yusuf continues to live at his Rouse Avenue Marg bungalow, while former Transport Minister and Delhi Congress President Lovely resides at his official bungalow at Civil Lines.
Sources said former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would also be asked to pay rent at market rate for his Tilak Lane official residence as soon as he completes the 15 days grace period. Kejriwal had resigned from Chief Minister`s post on February 14.
The flat allotted to Kejriwal belongs to Central government. It has been learnt that he had requested the Centre to allot the flat on his wife`s name who is a senior Indian Revenue services officer.
"Kejriwal has given board exam of his children, scheduled to be held in March, as a reason for the same. However, if the government does not allow this, Kejriwal will have to rent on market rate," sources added.
