New eviction law notified, ex-MPs to face swift action

About 80 ex-MPs, who are still occupying official bungalows, will face action as the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has notified amended law related to public premises eviction.

The ministry notified the updated Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 2019, which ensures speedy eviction, on September 12, and it came into force on Sunday.

The Act, which was passed by Parliament during the budget session, empowers estate officers to issue showcause notice, seeking reply of unauthorised occupants within three days, the duration reduced from 15 days, as mandated under the previous law.

The government had reduced the time to get occupants to reply after complaints that many of them refused to vacate their houses. Around 80 former MPs are yet to vacate their official bungalows in Lutyens' Delhi despite a stern warning by a Lok Sabha panel.

Under the previous version of the law, eviction proceedings from "public premises" used to take around five to seven weeks, and four more weeks if the occupants filed appeal before the district court under the Act.

As per the new law, if the person challenges the eviction order passed by the estate officer in any court, he has to pay the damages for every month for the residential accommodation held by him unauthorisedly.

With the many ex-MPs yet to vacate their accommodation, newly elected MPs were forced to stay in various state bhavans or guests houses. Though the rules says that ex-MPs have to vacate their official residence within a month times, many still staying even after the Lok Sabha Housing Committee threatened to disconnect electricity and water connection.