Delhi HC asks Centre to respond to AAP's plea over rent demand for vacated party office

New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Monday ought a repone from the Centre following a plea by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), challenging a rent demand notice for it former tate party office located in Vithalbhai Patel Houe, Delhi.
Jutice Sachin Datta iued the directive while hearing AAP application in an ongoing cae that contet the government earlier cancellation of the office allotment. The Centre now ha two week to file it reply, with the next hearing cheduled for July 22.
During proceeding, AAP requeted an immediate tay on the June 20 reminder notice. In repone, the Centre counel tated there wa no urgency and aured the court that no action would be taken before the next hearing.
The notice, according to the government, fall under the routine procedure outlined in the Public Premie (Eviction of Unauthoried Occupant) Act.
AAP main petition, which drew notice from the court in May, alleged that the Directorate of Etate arbitrarily cancelled the allotment of it double uite at Vithalbhai Patel Houe without any prior warning or opportunity to be heard. The cancellation, effective from September 14, 2024, wa only dicloed to AAP month later through a letter dated January 17. The party vacated the premie on April 30.
In it latet ubmiion, AAP claim the June 20 billing reminder reaert what it call a baele and unjut eviction, reinforcing demand for teep market-rate rent with no clear bai for it calculation. The party ha aked the court to halt uch reminder and prevent further billing until the core iue i adjudicated.
Previou correpondence from the Directorate, dated March 6 and May 13, had already demanded over R 8 lakh in rent tarting from the date of the alleged cancellation. AAP argue that thee bill, rooted in an ex parte cancellation order, are legally flawed a the order itelf breached principle of natural jutice and violated the Government Reidence (General Pool in Delhi) Rule, 1963.
AAP further highlighted that it wa granted new premie at 1, Pandit Ravi Shankar Shukla Lane in July 2024 following a eparate court order recognizing it tatu a a national party. The party contend that the udden cancellation of it earlier uite appear retaliatory and reflective of adminitrative bia. (ANI)