Not available: Land for AAP national party office at key location in Delhi

AAP national secretary Pankaj Gupta then wrote to the Land and Development Office (L&DO), which comes under the MoHUA, on April 17 and April 20, 2023, regarding the allotment. The party had requested land on DDU Marg or other centrally-located areas, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have been allotted land for their respective national offices.

On June 26, 2023, the L&DO wrote back to Gupta saying the matter had been examined and a joint visit of an AAP representative and officials had been carried out to identify any vacant land, “especially on DDU Marg”, it is learnt. No such vacant land was found, and the allotment could not be made, the L&DO told the AAP.

Replying to another letter from Gupta on August 23, the L&DO informed him on September 15 that the matter had been examined again and no vacant land in the centrally-located area of New Delhi was available for allotment.

While sources in the ministry said that the party had been offered land in Saket, near the District Courts there, and a prime location in Civil Lines, a senior AAP official said they had not received any official communication in this regard.

In its official response regarding the allotment, the AAP said, “The AAP is entitled to 1,000 square metres of land, given its status as a national party with 62 members in the Delhi Legislative Assembly. A representative of the AAP has visited only one location, but unfortunately, they were not shown any parcel of land available. We are disappointed as we were neither shown any land nor the list of available land parcels, despite our requests. Rather, we were informed that there is no land parcel available as per our requirement.”

Later, the AAP moved the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of the June 26 and September 15 letters, and directions to the government to allot land “preferably in centrally located areas in New Delhi”. The party argued that the L&DO letters rejected its demand on “vague and frivolous grounds”. Hearing the petition on December 12, the court issued notice to the government and listed the matter for April.

The AAP also filed another petition seeking allotment of residential accommodation to be used as an office till it is given land where it can construct an office. Under the MoHUA’s rules, one residential accommodation in Delhi can be allotted to the president of a national party. The court issued notice to the government on this plea too on December 12 and listed the matter for April.

As per the Ministry’s 2006 policy, national parties are eligible for allotment of land at concessional rates. For parties with up to 15 MPs in both Houses of Parliament, the policy allows for the allotment of 500 square metres of land. Parties that have Delhi state units with representation in the state assembly are eligible for another 500 sqm. Once they are allotted land, the parties have three years to construct the building and vacate any other properties, such as residential accommodation, allotted to them as office space.