Updated on Wednesday, November 26, 2008, 00:00 IST

New Delhi, Nov 26: Angered by the states' failure to evict politicians and bureaucrats illegally occupying government bungalows, the Supreme Court today said it may order arrest of the encroachers if they don't pay their rents.

The apex court was furious as many state governments have not recovered penal rents from the illegal occupants who are mostly politicians and bureaucrats, both serving and retired.

The court was dealing with cases of illegal occupation of government houses in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.

A Bench comprising Justices B N Agrawal and G S Singhvi was so unhappy with Madhya Pradesh that it said if did not take corrective measures it would direct the government to take away the property of the illegal occupants and even order their arrest.

"Next time we will direct that the property of the unauthorised occupants should be sold to recover the penal rents and send them to civil prison," the Bench said after senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae in the matter, apprised it of the status report filed by the MP government.

The Tamil Nadu government which has to recover over Rs one crore from the illegal occupants also came under fire as those in the possession of government houses were serving and former bureaucrats.

"It is surprising that many of the senior officers against whom dues are still there, are members of IAS holding responsible posts," the Bench said, asking the Tamil Nadu government to file affidavit as to "why this court should not direct initiating disciplinary proceedings against the officials who remained in unauthorised occupation".

Bureau Report