Rahul Gandhi asked to vacate 12 Tughlak Lane residence

New Delhi: Disqualified Lok Sabha member Rahul Gandhi has been asked to vacate the official bungalow allotted to him by April 22, official sources said on Monday.

The notice to Gandhi to vacate the 12, Tughlaq Lane bungalow was served by the Housing Committee of the Lok Sabha and follows the disqualification notice issued last week.

A local court in Gujarat had convicted Gandhi in a criminal defamation case on March 23 and sentenced him to two years in jail. The two-year jail term triggered his automatic disqualification as Lok Sabha member.

A senior official said a disqualified Lok Sabha member has to vacate the official bungalow within one month of losing his membership.

Another official said that Gandhi can write to the Housing Committee seeking an extended stay, a request that can be considered by the panel.

The notification issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat was marked to various departments, including the Directorate of Estates, New Delhi Municipal Council, and all the benefits available to Gandhi as a member of Parliament too are under review.

The former Congress chief was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday after he was convicted and sentenced to a two-year jail term in a defamation case by a Surat court.

Gandhi was allotted the bungalow in 2004 after winning Lok Sabha election from Amethi.