Political Housing Disputes: Indian Politicians Fighting Eviction from Government Accommodations

In 2009, governmental records showed 17 former ministers continuing to occupy official accommodations in India's national capital despite no longer holding office.

New Delhi:

The recent directives asking former Bihar Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi to vacate their government-allocated residence of nearly two decades represents a common pattern in Indian politics. Their response—protesting the order while citing personal inconvenience and alleged political motivations—is equally familiar. The residence in question, '10, Circular Road,' stands prominently in Patna's Civil Lines area.

Over twenty years, this property has transformed into a significant political hub regardless of which party controls Bihar's government. The colonial architecture and expansive grounds have hosted crucial political meetings, welcomed various visitors from dignitaries to ordinary citizens, and served as a platform for media interactions.

Rabri Devi's refusal to relocate persists despite being officially allocated alternative accommodation befitting her position as Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council.

Her son, Tejashwi Yadav, similarly attempted to retain his spacious official bungalow previously assigned to him as Deputy Chief Minister. Authorities demanded he vacate after Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) terminated its alliance with Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Tejashwi eventually relented following legal proceedings when the Supreme Court rejected his petition challenging the Patna High Court's eviction order. He had initially refused the accommodation designated for him as opposition leader until court mandates forced compliance. The vacated property was subsequently reassigned to current Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary.

Concurrently, Tejashwi's estranged brother Tej Pratap Yadav, formerly a minister, faces similar eviction notices to accommodate a current state minister. This reluctance to surrender official residences extends beyond Bihar, as politicians and dignitaries nationwide often resist relinquishing such properties, largely due to the status and influence associated with them.

In 2018, Uttar Pradesh's former Chief Ministers Mulayam Singh Yadav and son Akhilesh petitioned the Supreme Court requesting "appropriate time" to vacate their state-provided official residences. The court ultimately ruled they could not retain government accommodations after leaving office.

Exceptions do exist, as demonstrated when Atal Bihari Vajpayee's foster daughter Namita wrote to the government following the former Prime Minister's passing in 2018, expressing willingness to vacate their large central Delhi residence. She additionally requested the withdrawal of special protection and security measures, stating her family faced no credible threats.

Namita, her husband Ranjan Bhattacharya, and their daughter Niharika had resided at 7, Krishna Menon Marg while Vajpayee was alive. Such cases remain uncommon.

In July 2024, the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry issued eviction notices under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act to over 200 former MPs who continued occupying their allocated Lutyens' Delhi bungalows beyond the permitted one-month grace period following the previous Lok Sabha's dissolution.

In 2023, Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra approached the judiciary after being directed to vacate her assigned 9B, Telegraph Lane residence following her expulsion as a Lok Sabha MP over alleged involvement in a cash-for-question scandal. The Delhi High Court declined to prevent the eviction after her allotment cancellation, emphasizing limited legal protections once Parliamentary status terminates.

In 2014, significant protests erupted in central Delhi when authorities initiated eviction proceedings against Ajit Singh after his ministerial term ended. He refused relocation, citing his father Charan Singh's historical connection to the property. That September, his supporters successfully blocked attempted eviction actions at his 12, Tughlaq Road residence.

In 2009, seventeen former ministers continued occupying government accommodations across the national capital, including prominent figures like Jagdish Tytler, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Shankar Singh Vaghela, Renuka Chowdhury, Saleem Sherwani, and Charanjit Singh Atwal. Similar high-profile disputes have involved Raj Bhavan occupants and residences designated for Chief Justices.