New Delhi: After the Directorate of Estates dispatched a team of authorities on Friday, former TMC MP Mahua Moitra vacated her government housing, according to an official, news agency ANI reported. Moitra was ejected from the Lok Sabha last month, and the DoE sent her an eviction notice earlier this week.
“Possession handed over by her lawyers to Directorate of Estates who are inspecting and engaged in due process. Premises were vacated before authorities arrived. House number 9B Telegraph Lane occupied by Mahua Moitra was fully vacated by 10 am this morning. No ”eviction” took place,” said Mahua Moitra”s Counsel Shadan Farasat.
Speaking with PTI, an official stated: “A team has been sent to evict the TMC leader from the government bungalow allotted to her as an MP.”
She was found guilty of “unethical conduct” and banned from the House after allegedly taking gifts and other favours from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for asking questions about his business competitor Gautam Adani.
Previously, the Delhi High Court denied to suspend the eviction notice given to the TMC leader, ordering her to vacate the government mansion. Justice Girish Kathpalia stated that no explicit regulation has been presented before the court dealing with the removal of MPs from government housing after they cease to be parliamentarians.
“… accordingly, under Article 226 of the Constitution, she cannot be granted protection as sought. The allotment of government accommodation to the petitioner was co-terminus with her status, which has come to an end upon her expulsion. No specific Rule has been brought before this court which would deal with the eviction of Members of Parliament from the government accommodation after they cease to be the members,” it said.
“To conclude, in view of the pendency of the issue of expulsion of petitioner (Moitra) before the Supreme Court and the issue of extension of time to vacate the government accommodation being inextricably linked with that, coupled with the fact that as on date petitioner has no right, this court is not inclined to invoke jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India at this stage to restrain the operation of the impugned eviction order. Accordingly, the application stands dismissed,” the court stated in its order.
