The row over the Chief Minister’s residence escalated further on Wednesday after CM Atishi was asked to vacate the Chief Minister’s residence premises by the Public Works Department (PWD). The bungalow was previously occupied by former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
While AAP claims that Atishi followed all the required procedures before moving in, PWD officials argue that a formal handover of the property from Kejriwal to the department has not yet occurred. As a result, the bungalow has been sealed by the PWD.
The Chief Minister’s Office condemned the move, calling it “unprecedented.” In a statement, it said, “For the first time in the history of the country, the Chief Minister has been asked to vacate her house. The L-G has forcibly removed CM Atishi’s belongings at the behest of the BJP. Preparations are underway on behalf of the L-G to allot the CM’s residence to a big BJP leader. The BJP, which has been in exile in Delhi for 27 years, now wants to capture the CM’s residence.”
Meanwhile, Raj Niwas sources said that the owner of this residence, similar to all other Chief Ministers' houses, is the PWD. The PWD takes possession of the house once it becomes vacant, prepares an inventory of its contents, and then formally allocates it. The source clarified that the residence will soon be allocated to Atishi after conducting a proper inventory.
Kejriwal, who resigned from his position on September 17 after being released on bail, vacated the residence last Friday. While Atishi has the keys to the bungalow, she has not yet received an official allotment letter, PWD officials said.
This is not the first time the residence has been at the centre of controversy. Last year, Kejriwal and AAP faced criticism over alleged irregularities and cost overruns in the 2020-21 reconstruction of the bungalow.
While Kejriwal was initially allotted the residence in 2015, the Vigilance Department later launched an investigation into the renovation, leading to disciplinary action against 10 PWD officials. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is also probing the matter.