Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav today vacated their official residences (government bungalows) in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court.
This comes just days after the father-son duo had moved the Supreme Court against the order that asks former chief ministers to vacate their official bungalows, and asked for two-year’s time.
Their plea was filed in the backdrop of the May 7 judgement of the Supreme Court that had struck down an amendment in a state legislation allowing former chief ministers to retain government accommodation even after demitting office.
On Tuesday, Akhilesh Yadav had challenged the media to “find him a place”. It’s not yet clear where the Yadavs will move to but sources say they may stay at a government guest house for a few days and then move to a set of three villas at a private colony in Lucknow.
The top court had on May 7 held that former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh cannot retain government accommodation after demitting office and had said that a chief minister was at par with a common man once his or her term ends.
In his petition before the Supreme Court, Mulayam Singh had asked for time citing his age and ill-health. Akhilesh Yadav had listed security and his children’s education as reasons why he should be allowed to hang on to the bungalow he was entitled to as chief minister.
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