SC Orders AAP To Vacate Its Delhi Headquarters From Land Allotted For HC Expansion

The Supreme Court on Monday granted the Aam Aadmi Party time till June 15, 2024 to vacate its offices at Rouse Avenue here after noting that the land was allotted to the Delhi High Court for expanding judicial infrastructure.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra asked AAP to approach Land And Development Office for allotment of land for its offices.

"We would request the L&DO to process the application and communicate its decision within a period of four weeks," the bench said, adding AAP has no lawful right to continue on the land.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the city's ruling party, submitted that AAP is one of the six national parties in the country.

"They are telling us as a national party we get nothing. I'm given Badarpur, while everyone else is in better places," Singhvi said.

"In view of the impending general elections, we gant time until June 15, 2024 to vacate the premises so that land allotted to expand the district judiciary's footprint can be utilised on expeditious basis," the court said.

The top court had earlier directed the Delhi government and the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court to hold a meeting for removal of encroachment by AAP on the land allotted to the HC at Rouse Avenue.