NDMC moves to evict Le Meridien over pending dues
A little over four months after the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) cancelled the licence of Le Meridien hotel over alleged non-payment of dues, the council has moved the estate officer’s court for an eviction order.
According to a senior NDMC official, this is the next course of action under the public premises act (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants Act) 1971.
The estate officer’s court, which is designated by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor, will conduct the hearing that could take four to five months.
“They will seek the hotel’s comments, hear arguments and ultimately pass an order. If the order goes against any party (the hotel or NDMC), they can appeal within 12 days at the district court,” the official said.
In the petition, the copy of which is with Hindustan Times, the council has asked for an “order for the eviction of the entire premises broadly identified and referred to No. 1, Windsor Place, Janpath, New Delhi 1, constructed on plot of land measuring 4.5 acres, known as Hotel Le Meridien, under the provisions of Section 5 of the Act”.
In March this year, the luxury hotel’s licence was cancelled by the NDMC over non-payment of dues to the tune of ₹523 crore. The council decided to act against Le Meridien over nonpayment of licence fees pending for three decades.
“The dispute has been going on since 1982. To date, the total amount owed by them has accumulated to around ₹523 crore,” the official said
“Now, in accordance with the Public Premises Eviction Act 1971, the matter is being referred to the NDMC estate officer and the hotel has been declared as an unauthorised occupant. The estate officer will take the final call in this regard,” he said.
A spokesperson for Le Meridien said, “The matter is sub judice, so we would not like to comment on it”.
The NDMC had earlier ordered action against four of its officials over alleged irregularities in the recovery of dues that the five-star hotel owed the civic body.
The council in its report to the ministry of home affairs had recommended major penalties against the estate department officials.