A year after resigning as Delhi Chief Minister and leaving the government bungalow in Civil Lines, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal has been allotted a Type-VII bungalow in Lodhi Estate by the Union government, ending a long legal battle with the Centre.
Kejriwal’s new bungalow – All you need to know
According to a report by The India Today, the Type-VII bungalow given to Arvind Kejriwal includes four bedrooms, a hall, a waiting room, and a dining area. The property also has two lawns, one of which is small. Currently, the camp office has two rooms, while staff members, who have been living in the staff quarters for nearly ten years, continue to operate from the site.
Kejriwal and his wife, Sunita, reportedly visited the bungalow on Monday. The family is expected to move in once standard renovations and modifications are completed.
The allotment comes in the shadow of the earlier ‘sheeshmahal’ controversy, which drew criticism during the Delhi Assembly elections. The term referred to alleged expensive renovations at Kejriwal’s official residence on Flagstaff Marg. BJP leaders had accused him of spending lavishly on the property, arguing it conflicted with AAP’s image of clean and frugal governance.
Kejriwal’s legal tussle with Centre over new bungalow
The bungalow was earlier given to BJP leader Iqbal Singh Laalpura, the former chairperson of the National Minority Commission, who had unsuccessfully contested elections in Punjab. The dispute began after Kejriwal, who had moved to Delhi when he first became Chief Minister in 2013, stepped down in 2024. He and his family vacated their residence at 6 Flagstaff Marg in October 2024.
Since Delhi does not have rules to provide government housing to former Chief Ministers, the AAP had to pursue alternative arrangements for Kejriwal.