The Supreme Court on Monday gave Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) time to vacate its party office from the Rouse Avenue area till June 15, 2024, noting that the land was allotted to the Delhi High Court for expanding judicial infrastructure.
The apex court further said AAP can apply for a fresh allotment for a party office and the Centre is required to proceed per the law.
#JustIn | Supreme Court gives AAP time till 15th June, 2024 to vacate Rouse Avenue office, party can apply for new allotmentNews18’s @anany_b with details @poonam_burde | #RouseAvenue #AAPOffice #Delhi pic.twitter.com/94fFTffGwG
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A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was informed that the party requires 2-3 months to vacate the plot.
The bench further asked AAP to approach the Land And Development Office (LDO) for allotment of land for its offices.
“We would request the L&DO to process the application and communicate its decision within a period of four weeks,” the bench said, adding AAP has no lawful right to continue on the plot.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for AAP, argued that it is one of the six national parties in the country.
“They are telling us as a national party we get nothing. I’m given Badarpur, while everyone else is in better places,” Singhvi said, adding that “months before the election they’re given a road”.
“In view of the impending general elections, we grant time until June 15, 2024, to vacate the premises so that land allotted to expand the district judiciary’s footprint can be utilised on an expeditious basis,” the court stated.
The Supreme Court had earlier directed the Delhi government and the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court to hold a meeting for the removal of encroachment by AAP on the land allotted to the HC at Rouse Avenue.
We Respect Supreme Court: AAP
After the SC order, AAP chief national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said it expects that the party would get the land without any discrimination and dirty politics.
“We respect the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has also ordered the Centre’s L&DO (Land and Development Office) to allot an alternative land for AAP’s office as soon as possible. We expected that without any discrimination and dirty politics, we would get the land where other national parties have their allotted land,” she told PTI.
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