The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that former chief ministers of states are not entitled to government accommodation. The bench said that any houses thus occupied should be vacated within two months. According to The Times of India, the court asked six former Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministers to vacate the houses in which they had been staying. This includes ND Tiwari, Kalyan Singh, Ram Naresh Yadav, Rajnath Singh, Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The bench comprising Justices Anil R Dave, NV Ramana and R Banumathi was hearing a petition filed by Lucknow non-profit group Lok Prahari, which has as its members several retired bureaucrats, police officers and judges. They argued that the practice of allotting houses to former chief ministers and other “ineligible” parties started in Uttar Pradesh and was later adopted by other states. The group had objected to the large estates allotted to the ex-CMs, saying they were not required even if there were security concerns. The petition was listed several times before different judges. It was first heard in 2014.