'House turned down proposal for CWG flats to MLAs at discount'

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has said demand of some Congress MLAs for preferential treatment in the allotment of flats in Commonwealth Games village did not get support from most of the leaders in the assembly and was turned down.

Replying to an RTI application, Dikshit's office provided a letter written by her to Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi which said, "In a democracy every member/citizen has a right to express his/her opinion. It was a suggestion by some of the MLAs which was turned down by the Government and was also not supported by most of the members in the House."

Singhvi had reacted to demand of some MLAs to sell them at purchase rate the flats at the Commonwealth Games village, which Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has bought from a private builder.

In a letter dated April 2 to the Delhi Chief Minister, Singhvi had said, "I was surprised, and, to state candidly disappointed...(over) demand by some MLAs to seek allotment of flats at Commonwealth village as special/preferential allotment with special discount/or at special prices."

"I find it regrettable, indeed most objectionable, that such a demand has been made," the Congress leader had written.

The move is likely to be struck down by courts as a "squandering of largess and as being illegal". Any disposal at less than market price at means other than a public auction would rise enormous public suspicion and would send extremely bad signal and message in public domain, he had written.

The reply was provided to activist S C Agrawal.