HC denies freedom fighter's widow permanent accommodation

New Delhi, Oct 30 (UNI) The Delhi High Court has refused the plea of a freedom fighter's widow to retain the government accommodation for life.

The house was originally allotted to her husband. Gyanwati Darbar, 77-years old, had moved the court to help her retain the Lodhi Road house, allotted to her husband, late BS Darbar, in 1994 against quota for the freedom fighters.

Hearing the petition, the Division Bench led by Chief Justice M K Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Khanna observed, ''We do not think the doctrine of legitimate expectation is applicable in the facts and circumstances of this case as the allotment was purely on ad hoc and temporary basis. The allotment could be terminated at any point of time,''.

According to the guidelines of the Ministry of Urban Development (MUD), the spouse cannot claim any vested right over the government's policy for accommodation after the death of a freedom fighter, they observed.

The counsel for the Central Goverment has offered to shift her to another house in Freedom Fighters Complex.

The petitioner and her freedom-fighter husband stayed in the Lodhi Road house since April 1994.

UNI