New Delhi. The Aam Aadmi Party has been allotted a new headquarters by the Central Government. According to sources, the new national office of AAP will be in Bungalow No. 1 of Ravi Shankar Shukla Lane. All the activities of the party will be conducted from this new address. The allotment comes after an order of the Delhi High Court, which directed the Central Government to provide new office space to AAP. Just a week ago, the Delhi High Court had set a deadline for the Central Government to allot new space for AAP, stating that no further extension will be given and a decision should be taken by July 25. The direction comes after the Supreme Court ordered AAP to vacate its current office located at Rouse Avenue. The Supreme Court has given AAP a final deadline of August 10 to vacate. Earlier, in March, the Supreme Court had directed AAP to vacate the Rouse Avenue office by June 15, as the land was allotted for expanding the judicial infrastructure of the Delhi High Court.
The Delhi High Court had initially given the Central government six weeks to consider AAP’s request for a new national office. On June 5, the Court held that the AAP, as a national political party, is entitled to office space in Delhi. However, during a subsequent hearing on July 17, the Directorate of Estates under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs sought an additional four weeks to comply with the court’s direction, citing its preoccupation with housing allotments to MPs. The AAP has accused the Central government of deliberately delaying the allotments so that the party is left with no option. The AAP counsel pointed out that the Central government had not informed the Supreme Court about its inability to comply with the Delhi High Court’s order regarding office allotments.
Proposed New office of National Party AAP!! pic.twitter.com/E6bxIaYjGb
— Gss🇮🇳 (@Gss_Views) July 25, 2024
The AAP insisted that it was ready to vacate the Rouse Avenue office but needed an alternative space befitting its status as a national party. The Delhi High Court had clearly stated that given the entire sequence of events, a decision should be taken by July 25, 2024 and no further request for extension would be considered. In its order on June 5, the Delhi High Court noted that national political parties have the right to use common pool accommodation in Delhi by paying a license fee until they are allotted land for their offices. The court confirmed that if the central government refuses AAP’s request, the party will be free to take legal action.
The AAP had filed two separate petitions in the high court last year, seeking land or licensed accommodation for its offices in the national capital in view of its status as a national party. The petition for land allotment is still pending in the high court. The AAP argued that since other national parties have been allotted land at prime locations in New Delhi, it should get similar treatment as per the central government policy. Earlier, the AAP had informed the Supreme Court that the land at Rouse Avenue was allotted to it in 2015, but now the Land and Development Office claims that it is earmarked for the expansion of the Rouse Avenue Court. The AAP has expressed its readiness to vacate the premises provided it is allotted an alternate location commensurate with its national party status. The Election Commission had granted the AAP national party status after its electoral success in Delhi and Punjab last year.