Notice to top netas to pay rent for bungalows

Dikshit, ex-ministers reminded about dues piling up

The Delhi and central government have issued notices to former chief minister Sheila Dikshit and three other former Delhi ministers over their dues on government bungalows. 

Sources said former minister Kiran Walia, Harun Yusuf and Arvinder Singh Lovely were also served notices for earliest payment of their dues. Dikshit and Walia had vacated their official bungalows earlier this month.

 According to rules, the ministers can stay in government bungalows free of cost for 15 days after the government falls. But after that they have to pay the rent of the bungalow on market rates. Any former minister can occupy a bungalow for six months.

“Sheila Dikshit has to pay Rs 3.25 lakh as her bungalow falls in the Lutyens’ Delhi. Walia has to pay 2.80 lakh and Yusuf has to pay 2.90 lakh and Lovely has to pay an amount of Rs 3.15 lakh,” a source said.

Yusuf and Lovely have not vacated the government bungalows yet. The notice was served to all of them in the past couple of days.

Former chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal will also complete his 15-day grace period in the official flat at 5, Tilak Lane. But he has requested the central government to allot the flat to her wife as she fulfils the criteria.

“Citing the board exam of his children, Kejriwal asked the central government to issue the same flat to her wife Sunita Kejriwal, who is a senior Indian Revenue Services officer. He said that if the government denies issuing the same flat, he will pay the rent on market rate,” a senior government official said.