In 1983, at least 153 landless Dalit families were allotted 120-square-yard plots under a scheme of the central government in Rangpuri village abutting Vasant Kunj in South Delhi.
Sixty-seven-year-old Nand Kishore was in his early 20s when the Rangpuri village panchayat proposed his and his mother’s names for two plots in Rangpuri village, along with the names of 177 others. Under the Prime Minister’s Twenty Point Programme (TPP), each of these beneficiaries would be entitled to a 120-sq-yard plot in the village.
Kishore has been fighting in the Delhi High Court for his entitlement since 1993. He lives in a small house on a 20-sq-yard plot. More than 30 years later, Kishore wonders whether his battle has been worth anything.
“I have three daughters and a son. Two of my daughters studied for BA honours degrees but I could not do anything for them. They are married today, and they work in homes in Vasant Kunj. Main apni naukri aur inn court ke chakkaron mein hi reh gaya (I remained tangled in earning a livelihood and pursuing this case in the court),” Kishore said.
Nand Kishore (65) has been making the rounds of the High Court court since 1993, seeking possession of the land allotted in 1983. (Express Photo by Sohini Ghosh)
Kishore was a daily-wage worker until the time his knees allowed him to work. He kept a few mules, and would rent them out to people in the neighbourhood who needed them as pack animals. “Par woh sab toh ab kuchh raha nahin. (None of that is left now.)”
Another litigant, Ajay Kumar (40), said his father was among the 179 individuals who received allotment letters. Ajay has a transportation business, and lives with his extended family in three floors of a 50-sq-yard house. It is cramped, but still a better deal than the government’s offer of a flat in Narela.
“We are four families living in the same house. Why would we take a flat 35 km away, after changing four buses, leaving our livelihoods here? It’s either the flat or Rs 17 lakh. Look at these surroundings – Vasant Kunj, Ambience Mall, [Hotel] Radisson, Aerocity next door. If we had 120 square yards of land here today, do you think it would have been worth only Rs 17 lakh?” Ajay said.
Mukesh Kumar Saini (45) says he is not sure his name is in the revised list of allottees. (Express Photo by Sohini Ghosh)
Mukesh Kumar Saini (45) has a barber shop in Rangpuri. His father, who is now dead, was allotted a plot here. Saini and his three siblings are his legal heirs, but he does not know if they are eligible for the land.
Story continues below this ad
“Allotments were made against 173 families, but after a survey in 2017, the government said only 153 were found eligible. But we have not received this list of eligible allottees. I don’t even know if my name is on the list,” Saini said.
Dharam Singh Mendwal (65), retired from his job as a bus conductor with the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) almost six years ago. “The allotment was made under a scheme meant for the bhoomiheen (landless). We remain bhoomiheen, and the generation after ours will probably be the same,” he said.
The Delhi HC has advised the allottees to be open to a “reasonable proposal” from the government.
Kishore has a response: “How does the government expect us to move to a one-room flat in Narela at the fag end of my life? Who will I call if something happens to me? Here at least I have my children around. How is this reasonable?”
Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court
Professional Profile
Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express.
Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare).
Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others.
She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020.
With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles:
High-Profile Case Coverage
She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy.
Signature Style
Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system.
X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read More
Nand Kishore (65) has been making the rounds of the High Court court since 1993, seeking possession of the land allotted in 1983. (Express Photo by Sohini Ghosh)
Mukesh Kumar Saini (45) says he is not sure his name is in the revised list of allottees. (Express Photo by Sohini Ghosh)