Key Takeaways:
- Former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar has not been allocated his entitled official residence several months after resigning.
- Dhankhar vacated the Vice-President Enclave and moved to a private farmhouse in Chhatarpur, while his request for an official post-retirement bungalow remains pending.
- As a former vice-president he is entitled to a Type-8 bungalow, monthly pension and dedicated staff including medical personnel.
- The delay has raised questions about administrative processing times for former constitutional office-holders.
Former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar has yet to be allocated the official residence to which he is entitled, several months after stepping down from office. Sources close to Mr Dhankhar confirmed on Tuesday that although he formally resigned citing health reasons on 21 July, no official post-retirement accommodation has been provided to him to date.
Jagdeep Dhankhar official residence status
After his resignation, Mr Dhankhar vacated the Vice-President Enclave and moved to a private farmhouse in Chhatarpur in south Delhi. The farmhouse is reported to belong to INLD leader Abhay Chautala and is located in the Gadaipur area of Chhatarpur. Officials say Mr Dhankhar submitted a formal request for the allocation of the standard official residence for former vice-presidents, but the dwelling has not yet been assigned.
The request was reportedly sent in a letter dated 22 August to the Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. According to sources, the letter sought allocation of the official bungalow provided to former vice-presidents, a provision that is routinely granted to holders of that constitutional office.
Former vice-presidents receive a package of entitlements on leaving office, which is intended to ensure continuity of support following the completion of their public duties. In Mr Dhankhar’s case these entitlements include a monthly pension of roughly Rs 200,000, allocation of a Type-8 bungalow, and a team of personal staff comprising a private secretary, an additional private secretary, a private assistant, a doctor, a nursing officer and four personal attendants. In the event of the former vice-president’s death, the spouse is entitled to a slightly smaller Type-7 accommodation.
Officials familiar with the matter said procedural checks and availability of suitable government properties can delay allocations, but they did not provide a timeline for when the bungalow might be assigned. Critics argue that the lack of a swift response in such cases generates unnecessary public interest and can be avoided through clearer administrative timetables.
Mr Dhankhar’s move to a private farmhouse has drawn attention because it highlights how former constitutional office-holders sometimes rely on private arrangements while official processes are completed. Observers note that while the entitlements are standard, their delivery depends on interdepartmental coordination and property management within the capital.
For now, those close to Mr Dhankhar say the matter remains a routine administrative issue and that they expect the housing ministry to complete the formalities. The ministry has not issued an official statement on the status of the request. The episode underlines the broader question of how quickly governments process accommodation and support for former high office-holders, a topic that occasionally sparks debate among lawmakers and commentators.
As the process continues, the primary focus for Mr Dhankhar appears to be his health and private affairs. Once the ministry responds, the administrative record will show whether this case was an example of standard bureaucratic delay or whether further clarification of policy is required.
