Delhi HC seeks Centre's stand on AAP's plea over cancellation of allotment for state office

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the Centre's stand on a petition by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) against the cancellation of the allotment of a suite in Vithalbhai Patel House for its state party office in the national capital and subsequent demand of rent for occupying the premises.

AAP claimed that the decision of the Directorate of Estates, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, was ex parte and passed without any show cause notice or a reasonable opportunity to be heard.

Justice Sachin Datta issued notice on AAP's petition as well as the application for interim relief and asked the Centre to file its response.

"Issue notice. Let a counter affidavit be filed. List on August 12," the judge said.

The petitioner party's counsel said the Directorate of Estates allegedly cancelled the allotment of a double suite in Vithalbhai Patel House with effect from September 14, 2024, without any information and belatedly conveyed the same to the petitioner for the first time in a letter dated January 17.

The petitioner handed over the possession of the premises on April 30, the counsel said.

He said that in letters issued on March 6 and May 13, the authority demanded rent of over Rs 8 lakh for occupying the premises from the time period beginning the date of alleged cancellation.

He urged the court to stay the communication.

"Respondent No. 2 (Directorate of Estates) passed an ex parte Order cancelling the allotment of the subject accommodation, i.e., Double Suite at 514, V.P. House, New Delhi, to the Petitioner, with an ultimatum of handing over its physical possession within a period of thirty days. This ex parte order has not been conveyed to the Petitioner to date," the petition claimed.

"The bills dated 06.03.2024 and 13.05.2025 are stillborn documents, as their foundational document, being the ex parte Cancellation Order dated 14.09.2024 was passed in violation of the principles of natural justice, as well as the Allotment of Government Residence (General Pool in Delhi) Rules, 1963," the petition said.

The petition informed that the premises were alloted to the party on September 3, 2014, in its capacity as a recognised State Party.

The plea said that AAP was allotted the residence at 1, Pandit Ravi Shankar Shukla Lane as National Party office land in July 2024 in pursuant to the orders of the high court and "in an evident riposte, the Respondents have immediately cancelled the existing allotment of the Petitioner’s State Party office".

The timeline, the petition contended, exposed mala fide and arbitrariness.