SC expresses shock over political party office located in plot allocated to Delhi High Court
Feb 13, 2024
New Delhi [India], February 13 : The Supreme Court expressed its shock on Tuesday when it came to know that a political party's office is located on a plot that was allotted to the Delhi High Court.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud was surprised when it heard the alleged encroachment in the land allotted to the Delhi High Court.
The court was dealing with a matter pertaining to judicial infrastructure across the country.
Amicus Curiae K Parameshwar informed the Supreme Court that Delhi High Court officials went to take possession of land allotted to HC and were not allowed to take over it. He also apprised the court that a political party office has been constructed there now.
CJI Chandrachud said, "No one can take the law into their own hands". He quizzed how a political party can sit tight on that.
The Court asked the Chief Secretary of the Delhi government, the Secretary to the Delhi Public Works Department and the Finance Secretary to the Delhi government to hold a meeting with the Registrar General of Delhi High Court to resolve the issue.
The court listed the matter for further hearing for next week.
In the last hearing, the Supreme Court issued various directions to the Delhi Government in relation to the construction of judicial infrastructure in the national capital.
In pursuance of the order of the top court, a meeting chaired by the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Delhi was convened, which was attended by the Chief Secretary, GNCTD, Principal Secretary (Law), Principal Secretary (PWD), Secretary (Finance), other officers of GNCTD and L&DO was held in December mid-week. Various decisions were taken at the meeting.
The construction of a residential project comprising of 70 residential units for judicial officers commenced at Dwarka in October 2014. The construction, however, came to a standstill due to structural defects which endangered the construction. A report has been submitted by CBRI, Roorkee highlighting the substandard quality of construction. The project is stalled and there is no other ongoing project for the construction of residential units for judicial officers in Delhi. The final decision with regard to the future course of action in respect of the residential project at Dwarka will have to be taken, the court noted.
The L&DO of the Union government shall take steps to ensure that possession of the vacant area available for the Rouse Avenue Project is handed over to the High Court of Delhi expeditiously and in any event by 31 December 2023, the top court had also said.
