Patna HC strikes down provision for allotment of bungalows to former CMs for life

The Patna High Court Tuesday struck down provisions whereby former chief ministers of Bihar were allotted government bungalows for lifetime, holding that extension of benefits after demitting office reflects a government by the lawmakers "unto themselves".

A division bench comprising Chief Justice A P Sahi and Justice Anjana Mishra passed the order with the direction that all the allottees under the aforesaid provisions vacate the premises allotted to them, unless they are otherwise entitled to retain the same under any other law of allotment in force in the state.

"The apostle of modern India Mahatma Gandhi and one of his apostles, Lal Bahadur Shastri are examples who believed that democracy meant a government of the people, by the people and for the people. In the present case, the extension of benefits after demitting office reflects a government by the lawmakers unto themselves," the court remarked.

"There is no provision in the Constitution that... an elected representative can