Vajpayee's change of bungalow number to come before CIC

NEW DELHI: Can a common citizen also change the property number of his residence according to his choice as was done in the case of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee whose bungalow number was changed from 8-Krishna Menon Marg to 6-A?

This is a query pending before the Central Information Commission which will take up the matter next week after. The issue was raised by an RTI applicant who approached it after he failed to get satisfactory answers from the PMO and the Urban Development Ministry.

The RTI applicant Subhash Agrawal while asking for the rules related to such matters also asked whether the entire process, related to changing a bungalow's number, could be completed in one day.

The spacious bungalow whose number was changed was the one selected to be Vajpayee's residence after his tenure as the Prime Minister. The documents produced by Prime Minister's Office show that the order for changing the number was given by Additional Secretary Ashok Saikia on May 19, 2005.

The directorate of estate completed all the formalities within two days or receiving the application and forwarded it to CPWD for further action.

The RTI query has also asked the CIC to give the number of queries related to change in the number of properties pending before it.

The directorate of estate put the responsibility on the PMO saying that the re-numbering of the said bungalow was done as per a communication received from PMO.

Although the officials provided file notings and other details related to Vajpayee's case, they could not explain if the decision was influenced by numerology, astrology or vastu.