It refers to Supreme Court asking law-officers of central government to submit views on President, Vice President and Prime Minister being allotted government-accommodations after their retirement after the amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium suggested that not only former Chief Ministers in states but even President, Vice President and Prime Minister should not be allowed with such a privilege.
It is indeed regretting that Lok Prahari had to file Public Interest Litigation (PIL) because the then Akhilesh Yadav-led UP government legislated for post-retirement government-residences for all former Chief Ministers in the state to counter Supreme Court verdict against such practice. Some Chief Ministers got constructed palatial bungalows at government-expense for their post-retirement residences. Such an allotment is definitely violation of Article 14 of the Constitution demanding equality amongst citizens. It is noteworthy that only top three in legislature get such privileged facility with no such privilege available to retiring top personalities in judiciary and bureaucracy. Even retired US President gets just half of last drawn salary as the only post-retirement benefit without any government-accommodation.
Madhu Agrawal
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
