NDMC moves court for Meridien eviction

New Delhi: Months after the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) cancelled the license of Le Meridien hotel for alleged non-payment of dues, the civic body has moved the estate officer’s court for an eviction order. According to a senior NDMC official, this is the next course of action under the Public Premises Act (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants Act) 1971.

The estate officer’s court, which is designated by the Delhi lieutenant-governor, will conduct the hearing that could take five to six months. The officer said that the estate’s court will seek the hotel’s comments, hear arguments and ultimately pass an order. “If the order goes against any party (the hotel or NDMC), they can appeal within 12 days at the district court.”

The civic body had, earlier this week, ordered action against four of its officials over alleged irregularities in the recovery of dues that the five-star hotel owed the council.

The civic body, in its report to the ministry of home affairs, had earlier recommended major penalties against the officials. In March this year, the hotel’s license was cancelled by the NDMC over non-payment of dues totalling to the tune of Rs 523 crore.

The four officials had been accused of lowering the dues amount by diluting a formula (to calculate dues) ordered by the high court. The four officers mentioned in the report are the then director estate, one deputy director estate, a senior accounts officer and a senior assistant.