Mahua Moitra handed order to vacate government bungalow

The Directorate of Estates has reportedly issued an eviction notice to former TMC MP Mahua Moitra, who was expelled from the Lok Sabha last month. Moitra has been instructed to vacate her government bungalow immediately, following the cancellation of her allotment

The Directorate of Estates has reportedly issued an eviction notice to former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday. Expelled from the Lok Sabha last month, Moitra has been directed to vacate her government bungalow immediately, media reports said citing sources within the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.

The government had earlier cancelled Moitra's allotment and instructed her to vacate the premises by January 7. Following this, on January 8, the Directorate of Estates issued a notice requiring her to respond within three days for not complying with the eviction order. Another notice was sent on January 12.

To address the situation, the Delhi High Court, on January 4, advised Moitra to approach the Directorate of Estates with a request to continue occupying the government accommodation allotted to her. Justice Subramoniun Prasad noted that, in exceptional circumstances, authorities could permit a resident to overstay for up to six months, subject to certain charges.

The court allowed Moitra to withdraw her petition, emphasizing that it had not made any observations on the case's merits. It directed the Directorate of Estates to make a decision after considering the matter independently, emphasizing the need to follow proper legal procedures for eviction.

Highlighting the backdrop of Moitra's expulsion from the Lok Sabha on December 8, 2023, the court mentioned her alleged "unethical conduct." She was accused of accepting gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani and sharing her Parliament website user ID and password with him.

As the Directorate of Estates initiates the eviction process, the situation unfolds against the backdrop of legal complexities, with Moitra navigating through court directives and government notifications.