Former Bihar Governor Buta Singh's occupation of a government bungalow in the national capital invited sharp criticism from the Supreme Court which slammed the estate department for adopting a "pick and choose" policy while evicting unauthorised occupants.
The apex court disapproved that Singh, a former union minister, was provided with the government accommodation because of the threat perception, saying that "there is no nexus between security threat and government accommodation".
It also questioned the government for regularising the allotment of 11-A Teen Murti Marg in favour of Singh, whose three year term as the Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Caste, ended in 2010.
"Why this allotment was regularised in favour of one gentleman (Buta Singh)," a bench of justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhaya asked Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra.
It wanted to know "under which provision of law the accommodation was given to Singh".
The bench, which stopped midway while dictating the order, indicated that the notice issued by the estate department pursuant to the court order to get the accommodation vacated for unauthorised occupation under the Public Premises (eviction of unauthorised occupants) Act shall remain stayed till the matter is heard at length.
The bench said government will not act suo motu as some persons were targeted and all unauthorised occupants were not treated at par by the authority in the eviction procedure.
"You (authority) have adopted a policy of pick and choose on the colour of skin. Don't adopt the policy of pick and choose," the bench said.
