Uttar Pradesh govt issues notices to six former CMs, including Mayawati and Rajnath Singh, to vacate official bungalows

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government, on Thursday night, issued notices to six former state chief ministers, including those from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asking them to vacate official bungalows in compliance with the Supreme Court orders. [caption id=“attachment_4172251” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of BSP chief Mayawati. PTI[/caption] The notices sent by the Estate Department has asked the former chief ministers to vacate the bungalows in 15 days, a senior official said. Those served notices include Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh, Mayawati, Rajnath Singh and Akhilesh Yadav. They currently occupy prime government properties in the high-security VVIP zone in the state capital. The Supreme Court had earlier this month said that former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh cannot retain government accommodation after demitting office, observing that a chief minister was at par with a common man once his or her term ends. The court was hearing a petition filed by NGO Lok Prahari, challenging the amendments made by the erstwhile Akhilesh Yadav government to the UP Ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1981.