Delhi Chief Minister Atishi has officially been allotted the Civil Lines residence at 6, Flagstaff Road, following a public notification by the Public Works Department (PWD) on Friday.
The announcement comes after a tense political standoff between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), involving the allocation of the bungalow.
According to the PWD's official order, the allotment to Atishi was made under the General Pool Bungalow category. The letter from the Deputy Secretary of PWD specified that Atishi has eight days to accept the allotment of the residence. Furthermore, within 15 days of taking possession of the new Civil Lines bungalow, she will be required to vacate her current residence.
One of the conditions laid down in the allotment notice mentioned that the house is currently under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and other agencies for alleged violations.
The notification advised Atishi to fully cooperate with any ongoing probes related to the property. This note is significant given the political tensions that have surrounded the bungalow, as it is under scrutiny for a corruption case and alleged assault involving AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.
The political feud surrounding the property has heightened after Atishi alleged that her belongings were thrown out of the residence on Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's orders.
This incident led to AAP accusing the BJP of attempting to "capture" the Chief Minister's official residence as part of a larger political manoeuvre. Arvind Kejriwal's party has been vocal in asserting that the Civil Lines bungalow is the designated residence of the Chief Minister, fueling a heated public exchange between the two parties.
In response, the Lieutenant Governor's office issued a clarification, denying that the bungalow in question was ever designated as the Chief Minister's official residence. Sources from the LG's office stated that Atishi had not been authorised to reside at 6, Flagstaff Road and alleged that she had "trespassed" into the property.
The office further indicated that if someone occupies a property unlawfully, the rightful owner is entitled to take action, implying that Atishi's presence in the bungalow was never legitimate.
The dispute over the bungalow became a flashpoint between the AAP and BJP, with each party accusing the other of using government properties for political gain. AAP, led by Chief Minister Atishi and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, has framed the matter as an unjust attempt by the BJP to target its leadership and limit their administrative operations. The party argued that the BJP, through its influence in the central government, was undermining the authority of Delhi's elected representatives.
However, sources aligned with the BJP and the Lieutenant Governor's office have dismissed these claims, framing Atishi's actions as improper and unlawful. They emphasised that the bungalow in question was never officially designated for the Chief Minister's use and could be allotted to anyone under proper administrative procedures.
The case has drawn significant media attention, with both parties engaging in a blame game over the control of government properties. The back-and-forth rhetoric has also highlighted the underlying political power struggle between the Delhi government, led by AAP, and the central authorities, which remain under the purview of the BJP.
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