Bungalow vacate issue: Privileges panel of RS summons Urban Development Ministry officials

NEW DELHIL: Top officials of the Urban Development Ministry have been summoned by the Privileges Committee of Rajya Sabha in the wake of notices given by Congress leaders Ambika Soni and Selja who have been asked to vacate their government bungalows.

Parliament sources said the Rajya Sabha Privileges Committee, headed by Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien, has asked Secretary Urban Development Madhusudan Prasad and other officials to be present before the panel on June 9 and give their response to the notices.

When contacted, Kurien merely said that he has convened a meeting of the Committee on June 9 where all "pending issues" will be taken up.

Angry over the way they were served notices to vacate government bungalows, former Union ministers Soni and Selja had given privilege notice to the committee.

A Congress delegation, including Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, had recently met Kurien.

Accusing the government of not following due legal process in asking her and Selja to vacate their government bungalows by June 10, Soni had said that they have not been given alternate accommodation despite expressing readiness to shift.

She claimed that no "proper" accommodation has been offered to them so far.

Besides, she maintained that the House Committee of the Rajya Sabha has allotted the bungalows to them with letters that they can continue to live there till the end of their Rajya Sabha term.

Soni is staying at 22, Akbar Road, which reports said has been allotted to Rural Development Minister Birender Singh. Selja is staying at 7, Motilal Nehru Marg which was allotted to her afresh after she was elected to Rajya Sabha last year.