Why can't ex-CMs live in private houses? Patna HC asks Nitish Kumar, others to reply

PATNA: Why can't former Chief Ministers live in private accommodations with adequate security, questioned the Patna High Court on Tuesday. The court directed the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and six former Chief Ministers to file a response to within four weeks.

A bench headed by Justice SP Shahi questioned why do former Chief Ministers have possession of government bungalows for their entire lifetime.

The court was listening to public interest litigation filed by Kumar and other state-based leaders over the matter of allocation of bungalows to former Chief Ministers.

The next hearing in the matter is scheduled to take place on Monday, February 11.

The Patna High Court on Tuesday directed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his predecessors to file a response within a span of four weeks on why the former Chief Ministers cannot live in private accommodations in the city, despite being provided high-security.

The decision came after a PIL was filed by Kumar and other leaders of the state over the matter of allocation of bungalows to former Chief Ministers.

In a major setback to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the Patna High Court on Monday dismissed his petition challenging the Bihar government's order asking him to vacate the bungalow allotted to him while he was the deputy chief minister.

The single-judge bench had said in its order that "the petitioner has been allotted a bungalow, matching his status as a minister in the government, at 1, Polo Road, Patna. He cannot raise a complaint on the decision so taken, simply because the present bungalow is more suited to him".

The Nitish Kumar government has asked Yadav to swap residences with Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who lives in 1, Polo Road, situated about a kilometre away. 

With agency inputs