Delhi HC sets aside L-G order to cancel bungalow to AAP
The court said the April 12 order cancelling the allotment did not say, which law or rule has been violated.
New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Wednesday set aside an order of lieutenant governor (L-G) Anil Baijal cancelling the allotment of a bungalow to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in central Delhi, saying no reason was given for the action.
Justice Vibhu Bakhru remanded the matter back to the L-G to pass an order within eight weeks after hearing the political party. The court said the April 12 order cancelling the allotment did not say, which law or rule has been violated. It told the central government that if there is a policy for allotting accommodation to political parties, it has to be applied uniformly.
The court also kept in abeyance two consequential orders passed by the PWD of the Delhi government on June 13 rejecting the party’s request for alternative accommodation and directing it to pay dues of Rs 27 lakh towards the market rent of the property till May 31.
According to the AAP, represented by senior advocate Arun Kathpalia, the party was allotted bungalow No. 206 at the Rouse Avenue here on December 31, 2015.
Thereafter, on April 12, AAP received a communication informing it that the L-G has cancelled the bungalow’s allotment on grounds that it was contrary to law and rules, the petition filed by advocate A. Vijaykumar, said.
The Aam Aadmi Party, in its plea, also claimed it was being singled out for such action as other parties are enjoying accommodation allotted to them in Delhi.
During arguments, additional solicitor general Sanjay Jain and the Centre’s standing counsel said an accommodation was offered to the Aam Aadmi Party in Saket in South Delhi, but the party had refused to accept the same.