Tamil Nadu government allows former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to stay on at Greenways Road

CHENNAI: The DMK-led government has allowed former chief minister and AIADMK’s leader of the opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami to continue to stay at his Greenways Road residence in Chennai without paying rent. This follows a request from Palaniswami to the M K Stalin government, seeking approval for continued stay given his position that is equivalent to that of a minister.
Palaniswami has been staying in the bungalow, Sevvanthi, ever since he became a member of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s cabinet in 2011. “The state public works department issued an allotment order to Palaniswami. The allotment was made without fixation of rent. Also, Palaniswami cannot avail the house rent allowance as a member of legislative assembly,” said a source. The department has instructed the buildings wing and the Chennai regional office to permit the leader of opposition to reside in the same bungalow.
More than 20 former AIADMK ministers vacated their bungalows, while the rest, including former deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, are looking for rental options in the city. His associates said Panneerselvam found an apartment in Raja Annamalaipuram in the city and may move in soon. The public works department did not issue any notice to the former ministers to vacate since the TN Ministers and Presiding Officers of Legislature (Furnishing and Maintenance of Government Houses and Provision of Amenities) Rules, 1977, allows a grace period of two months for them to vacate, after demitting office and on a rental of Rs 250 per month.
On the expiry of grace period in addition to the recovery of fair rent, there shall be compulsion to vacate the house. “At least, three former ministers had requested for continued stay for two months and was granted permission, but one had vacated,” another source said. The higher ups in the government told the PWD ‘not to disturb’ the former ministers until they vacated the bungalows.