New Delhi: The Supreme Court has ordered Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to vacate its offices located at Rouse Avenue in the national capital.
If that is a body blow Arvind Kejriwal’s party, the consolation is that it has been given a long deadline – June 15 — in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The top court’s order against AAP, delivered by the bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud, and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, stems from the fact that AAP’s headquarters stand on a plot of land meant for the High Court.
Ruling that AAP has no lawful right to continue on the land, the top court directed AAP to apply to the Central government’s Land and Development Office (L&DO) for alternate land.
“We would request the L&DO to process the application and communicate its decision within a period of four weeks,” Supreme Court said.
The court had observed in February that AAP was encroaching on the land allotted to Delhi High Court for an expansion project.
The state government then assured the court that the plot will be vacated in two months, provided an alternative plot was given.
On Monday, the CJI said no one can take law into their hands.
“How can any political party sit on it? All encroachments will be removed… The High Court should be given possession of the land, which can be used for the public and citizens,” said Justice Chandrachud.
