Court halts eviction of AAP MP from Lutyens’ bungalow

In a recent development, a Delhi court has granted temporary relief to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha, instructing the Rajya Sabha secretariat to refrain from evicting him from his Type-7 bungalow in the affluent Lutyens’ Delhi.
Such bungalows are typically designated for former ministers, chief ministers, or governors. The instruction will be in effect until a final decision is made on Chadha’s application and until due legal process is followed. The court is set to decide on the legitimacy of Chadha’s application against the Rajya Sabha secretariat’s March 3, 2023, order, which revoked his allotment of the bungalow. The decision is expected to be made on July 10. There has been no immediate comment from the Rajya Sabha secretariat concerning the legal order and Chadha’s petition. During the legal proceedings, the Rajya Sabha secretariat’s counsel raised objections to the validity of Chadha’s application. After hearing both parties’ arguments regarding the issue, Additional District Judge Sudhanshu Kaushik, on June 1, announced the date of the order as July 10. Previously in April, the court had instructed the secretariat not to dispossess Chadha of the bungalow until his application was pending and without adhering to due legal process. Addressing the issue, Judge Kaushik said that he found merit in Chadha’s argument about the importance of due legal process in eviction. Chadha had expressed concerns about the secretariat’s haste and the possibility of eviction without proper legal proceedings. The judge also acknowledged Chadha’s residence in the house along with his parents and the potential for irreparable damage if he were evicted without due process. The issue began last year when Chadha was allotted a Type-6 bungalow. Later, he requested a Type-7 accommodation and was granted another bungalow from the Rajya Sabha pool. However, the allotment was revoked in March this year. In response, Chadha has asked for an injunction against the secretariat, preventing further action based on the March 3 letter, and prohibiting the bungalow’s allocation to someone else. Furthermore, Chadha is seeking INR 5.5 lakh in damages from the secretariat for alleged mental distress and harassment. As per the Rajya Sabha Members Handbook released in April 2022, a first-time MP like Chadha is normally entitled to a Type-5 accommodation. However, having served a full term of five years in the Delhi assembly, Chadha was entitled to a Type-6 bungalow. The Type-7 bungalows are allocated to MPs who are former Union Cabinet Ministers, former Governors, former Chief Ministers, and former Lok Sabha Speakers.