Directorate of Estates sends team to evict TMC's Mahua Moitra from Delhi Bungalow

The Directorate of Estates has initiated the eviction process for former Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra from her government bungalow in Delhi. This move follows the Delhi High Court's refusal to grant an interim stay on the eviction notice.

The Directorate of Estates has taken steps to enforce the eviction of former Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament, Mahua Moitra, from her government bungalow in Delhi. This move comes in the aftermath of the Delhi High Court's refusal to grant an interim stay on the eviction notice issued to Moitra.

According to officials, a team from the Directorate of Estates was dispatched to carry out the eviction a day after the high court's decision. Moitra, who challenged the eviction notice, had cited medical reasons in her plea, urging the court to prevent authorities from evicting her following her expulsion from the Trinamool Congress.

Justice Girish Kathpalia, presiding over the case, highlighted that no specific rule had been presented to the court dealing with the eviction of Members of Parliament from government accommodation once their tenure concludes.

The court, considering the pending matter of Moitra's expulsion before the Supreme Court, expressed reluctance to invoke jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India at this stage. The dismissal of the application was based on the interconnected issues of Moitra's expulsion and the extension of time to vacate the government accommodation, coupled with her current lack of legal standing.

Expelled from the Lok Sabha on December 8 for sharing parliamentary login credentials, Moitra faced an eviction notice on January 16, urging immediate vacation of the bungalow under the threat of potential force. The Central government's Estates Department initially set a January 7 deadline for her eviction, and despite her initial plea withdrawal, Moitra received a fresh notice after her representation to the Directorate of Estate was rejected.

During court proceedings, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma argued that as Moitra had challenged her expulsion before the Supreme Court, issues related to her eviction should be addressed there. Moitra's counsel clarified that the Supreme Court case focused on her expulsion, not the eviction from the government bungalow. The court questioned the need for a four-month period for Moitra to vacate and suggested a shorter timeframe. While acknowledging humanitarian grounds for a brief extension, the court emphasized that citing humanitarian reasons did not grant an extended stay right.

The court also noted that Moitra's medical condition was not initially mentioned in her representation to the Estates officer. A short extension of three or four days was considered on humanitarian grounds.