SC upholds the sale of Agra Ashok to private parties

New Delhi, Oct 31 (UNI) The Supreme Court today upheld the proposed sale of five star Hotel Agra Ashok by the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) to private parties.

The petitioner, All India ITDC workers union and others have challenged the sale by the government on the ground that the hotel situated in Agra having a market value of about Rs 20 crore was being sold for a meagre sum of Rs 3.90 crore to M/S Mohan Singh and Yamuna View Private Limited. The petitioner had also sought direction from the Supreme Court to the government that Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) should be implemented by ITDC and their service conditions must remain the same.

Hotel Agra Ashok has 58 centrally airconditioned luxurious rooms and other facilities and is one of the leading five star hotels in the city of Taj.

Bench comprising Justices A R Lakshmanan and A K Mathur dismissing the petition of the union observed, "We hold that there is absolutely no merit or substance in the contentions raised by learned senior counsel for the petitioner. The writ petitions are therefore liable to be dismissed and the policy decision taken by the government of India to transfer the hotel Agra Ashok to M/S Mohan Singh and Yamuna View Private Limited cannot be assailed at the instance of the employees. The writ petitions are accordingly dismissed." The court also took note of the fact that the government did not receive any higher offer when it gave public notice for the sale of the hotel. The court also cited with approval its judgement in BALCO Case.

UNI AKS/SC BDP RP RK1903