Free facilities to former Guv questioned

JAIPUR: The state government's largesse being enjoyed by former Rajasthan and Gujarat governor Anshuman Singh have come under scrutiny.
The facilities like free of cost accommodation, water, electricity, vehicle with a driver and armed police security being provided to Singh since 2004, were challenged before the high court on Monday through a public interest litigation (PIL).The petitioner requested the court that the state government be directed to revoke these facilities since these were being provided in violation of the Constitution and the Act and the Rules related to post-retirement allowances permissible to former governors.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Arun Kumar Mishra, however, directed the petitioner Milap Chand Dandia (a senior journalist) to first make a representation before the state government to seek a remedy. The petitioner would be at liberty to file a fresh PIL if the state government fails to address the issue, the bench ruled. The petition was, thereafter, withdrawn.
As per the petition, Singh has been availing of the facilities at the state exchequer's cost since May 31, 2004. The facilities are at par with those allowed to ex-chief ministers. Using the right to information Act, Dandia gathered partial details about the tax payer's money that has been spent on Singh between May 2004 and August 2011. The details were placed before the high court on Monday.
The PIL cited the public works department's reply that said from March 2009 and August 2011 it spent over Rs 2.06 lakh on the maintenance of the bungalow in C-scheme where Singh resides. The state motor garage said it incurred more than Rs 9.80 lakh on maintenance and petrol of the vehicle used by Singh from April 2004 to September 2011. The police mentioned it was spending more than Rs 1.06 lakh per month as salaries to the policemen posted to guard Singh round the clock.
In addition to these facilities, Singh gets all the facilities at the circuit houses across the state and at the Rajasthan House in New Delhi, as are available to ex-chief ministers. The state government has been providing the free of cost facilities through its order dated May 31, 2004, which was approved by the cabinet on February 8, 2005 (Vasundhara Raje-government's tenure).
The PIL mentioned that neither Article 158 of the Constitution nor The Governors (Emoluments) Allowances and Privilege Act, 1982 nor the Rules of 1987 (framed in accordance with the Act of 1982) allow any pension benefits to former governors.
Singh has served as judge at the Allahabad and the Rajasthan high courts, before retiring as the acting chief justice of Rajasthan. He was then appointed Governor of Gujarat (April 1998 to January 1999) and later transferred to Rajasthan (January 1999 to May 2003).