The Supreme Court on Monday gave time to the Aam Aadmi Party till June 15 to vacate its political office located on a plot that was allotted to the Delhi High Court for the purpose of expanding the district judiciary after taking note of the upcoming general election.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud also permitted AAP to apply to the Land and Development Office of the Government of India for allotment of the alternate land in accordance with the law in the meantime.
“In view of the impending general elections, we grant time until June 15, 2024, to vacate the premises,” the court said.
During the hearing, the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the AAP were encroachers of land from 2017 onwards. The court also clarified that the party was not a lawful occupant of the land after 2017, which cannot be denied and is giving them the liberty to pursue their rights.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for AAP, apprised the court that they were allotted the land in 2015 by the government of Delhi.
However, CJI commented to the AAP’s counsel that, being part of the court, he can’t say that land cannot be given to the High Court.
AAP’s counsel said that a month before the election, they will be on the road if they vacate the land now. He informed the court that the government is allotting them land far away in Badarpur.
The court remarked that the land belonged to the high court. The senior advocate apprised the court that they were allotted the land in 2015 by the government of Delhi.
Aam Aadmi Party has earlier informed the Supreme Court that it has not not encroached on any land of the court and the premise were officially allotted to the AAP by the Delhi Government for its State Unit Office in 2015.
In an application filed before the Supreme Court, AAP has countered the allegations of alleged encroachment of judicial land.
The Supreme Court had earlier expressed its shock when it came to knowing that a political party’s political office is located on a plot that was allotted to the Delhi High Court.