Maharashtra guv moves SC against contempt proceedings over rent payment

Maharashtra governor, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari has moved the Supreme Court in order to stay a Uttarakhand High Court notice issued against him for non-payment of rent for govt bungalow. A petition in the Uttarakhand High Court has alleged that Koshiyari did not pay the rent for a bungalow allotted to him as a Chief Minister as ordered by the Uttarakhand High Court last year and sought contempt proceedings against him.

New Delhi:Maharashtra governor, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Uttarakhand High Court order of issuing notice on a plea seeking contempt proceedings against him for his failure to pay rent for the government bungalow.

Last year the Uttarakhand High Court had ordered the former Chief Ministers to pay rent for the period they resided in government bungalows even after demitting office.

Through a petition, it was alleged in the Uttarakhand High Court that the governor had not obliged with the HC order of paying market rent for a bungalow allotted to him as a Chief Minister and sought contempt proceedings against him. Response was sought by the High Court on this contention.

Bhagat Singh Koshiyari contends that he was not given any order by a lawful authority but still an affidavit was filed in the High Court about the market rent. He was in the bungalow under an order and left it as soon as the law required it, added Koshiyari.

Further, he says that under Article 361, governors and the President is given protection for invocation of contempt proceedings and he is currently the Maharashtra governor. He has sought a stay on the HC order.