LS passes eviction Bill amid row

The Lok Sabha on Monday passed a Bill to evict unauthorised occupants from public premises unanimously but not without uncomfortable moments for a  senior union minister over MPs’ house allotments that generate heat every time a new government assumes power.

Urban development and parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu accepted suggestions by MPs for a “comprehensive” rather than “piece meal” legislation. Naidu explained that the Bill, pending since the UPA days, was brought before the House to clear land acquisition hurdles for Delhi metro’s expansion in and around the city and streamlining MPs’ house allotment process.

Naidu said some of the recommendations would be incorporated at the time of framing rules to execute the Public Premises (Eviction of unauthorised occupants) Amendment Bill, 2014, which will now have to be passed by Rajya Sabha. The minister assured the house that he would soon convene a meeting of municipal mayors to tackle unauthorised takeover of government land. He agreed that with the connivance of local authorities, land mafia was operating in big cities to usurp public property - witnessed also in sprouting of places of worship despite SC order to check it.