Now, House panel to allot bungalows to former CMs

JAIPUR: The state government has transferred the power for allotment of five prime bungalows including Bungalow No.13, the current residence of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, to the House committee of the assembly from the general administration department (GAD).
The parliamentary affairs department has also issued guidelines for MLAs who are eligible for out of term allotment of the residences. Under the new guidelines, sacked former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Vasundhra Raje will be eligible for out of turn allotment of bungalows. According to observers, the decision has been taken to circumvent the contempt petition filed in the high court by journalist Milap Chand Dandiya challenging the allotment of bungalow to Raje at Civil Lines after the high court struck it down.
The parliamentary affairs department brought in these changes through two amendments to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly (Members Residential Accommodation) Rules, 1973.
Rajasthan Legislative Assembly (Members Residential Accommodation) (Second Amendment) Rules, 2020 said, “The House Committee may after due consideration make out of turn allotment of appropriate house to the member who has been (i) chief minister of the state of Rajasthan; (ii) Union cabinet minister; (iii) minister of state, government of India, and at least three times Member; (iv) cabinet minister of the state and at least two times member; or (v) at least two times member of Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha.”
By the third amendment, it had transferred four bungalows to the pool of the state assembly from general administration department. It said after the existing serial number 6, the following new serial numbers 7 to 10 and entries thereto added, namely - “ 7. I/24 Gandhi Nagar, Jaipur, 8. I/32 Gandhi Nagar, Jaipur, 9. B-2 Bhagat Singh Marg, Jaipur 10. 13 Civil Lines, Civil Lines, Jaipur.”