Once a Chief Minister never a permanent Chief Minister and never again, to keep clinging on to the ‘sarkari kothi’, even after demitting office as the CM of UP. Should this small piece of ethics and morality even be, taught to and legally “enforced” on those who have been consistently reluctant in vacating the sprawling official bungalows , rather than it being the call from within, of all those, who once made it to the office of the Chief Minister of UP?
A Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi struck down an amendment in a State legislation allowing the CMs to retain Government bungalows even after demitting office saying these bungalows “belong to the people” of the country. This had the effect of creating a separate class of citizens for conferment of benefits by way of distribution of public property on the basis of the previous public office held by them.
Public service is what the politicians describe their entry into politics for but once reaching there, the propensity and the aim should never be self comforts and enjoyment at the cost of the public funds and taxes. That is why, the court observed that natural resources, public lands and the public goods like Government bungalows, official residence etc are public property that belong to the people of the country. The Doctrine of Equality which emerges from concept of justice and fairness must guide the State in distribution / allocation of the same.
After demitting office, there was nothing to distinguish them from the common man and they should learn to live like common man. This golden principle should percolate deep into the mindset of the politicians for confirming to the principles of simplicity, probity and propriety.
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