Priyanka Gandhi told to vacate govt bungalow within one month

Priyanka Gandhi still has the Z+ security cover but this category does not entitle protectees to government accommodation

The government on Wednesday cancelled allotment of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s house in the heart of national capital Delhi and told her to vacate the bungalow within a month.

The government has cancelled the allotment of Priyanka Gandhi’s Lodhi Estate bungalow that she was allotted in 1997 (Ajay Aggarwal/HT PHOTO)

The decision was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Accommodation after the government stripped the Gandhi family of protection by the Special Protection Group. She was allotted the Lodhi Estate bungalow in 1997 on the recommendation of the SPG.

Priyanka Gandhi still has the Z+ security cover but this category does not entitle protectees to government accommodation unless the cabinet committee approves the exception on the recommendation of the home ministry. The home ministry didn’t see any reason to make an exception for her, people familiar with the development said.

An official said she has accumulated dues of Rs 3.46 lakh and has also been asked to clear the dues.

Officials said the cabinet committee had decided way back in December 2000 that no private person, other than those protected by SPG, should be given government accommodation on security grounds. If such an exception had to be made, the cabinet committee had recommended charging at the market rate.

In July 2003, it was decided to charge a special rate of licence fee, that is 20 times the normal rent from such allottees.