The Union government has assured the Delhi High Court that it will provide Aam Aadmi Party national convenor and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with appropriate residential accommodation in the capital within ten days. This commitment was conveyed during proceedings before a bench led by Justice Sachin Datta, where Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, requested that the assurance be formally recorded in the court’s order.
3The matter had reached the High Court through a petition filed on Kejriwal’s behalf, which argued that as a former chief minister and a person holding continuing public office, he is entitled to a centrally allotted government residence in a suitable and well-connected locality of New Delhi. The petition drew attention to an office memorandum issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in 2014, which sets out the framework for allotting government accommodation to dignitaries, and stressed that the standard of the residence provided should not be inferior to the one previously enjoyed.
The court noted that the office of the Lieutenant Governor had already signaled that a resolution to the matter was imminent, suggesting that the necessary administrative steps were underway. The Centre’s formal statement reinforced this position by committing to provide an “appropriate” residence without undue delay.
Justice Datta observed that such cases must be dealt with consistently, in a manner that ensures fairness and parity in the application of rules relating to government accommodation. He also clarified that Kejriwal would retain the liberty to approach the authorities again in the event that the accommodation eventually allotted to him fell short of the entitlement prescribed under the existing policy.
The assurance from the government is expected to settle, at least temporarily, a contentious issue that had drawn political as well as legal attention, given Kejriwal’s prominent role in public life and the broader debates surrounding entitlement, privilege, and security for former holders of high office.
A detailed written order of the High Court is awaited, which will formally record the Centre’s undertaking and outline the contours of Kejriwal’s right to approach the authorities again should any dispute arise with respect to the accommodation that is finally allotted.
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