Now, parties in Himachal will get govt land on lease

Taking cue from Andhra Pradesh, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to allot a maximum of 10 marlas (around 300 square yard) of land on lease to political parties for setting up offices. The move came after Himachal Congress president Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu persuaded chief minister Virbhadra Singh to allot land for setting up party offices at different places in the state. The decision was taken in the recently convened meeting of the state cabinet.

The Congress is demanding more land for expanding the state Congress headquarters — Rajiv Bhawan — on Shimla’s Circular Road. “We want land for setting up offices elsewhere in other districts also,” Congress spokesman Naresh Chauhan said.

Sources told HT that following cabinet nod, the revenue department

has issued a notification for amending the list of leases after studying land allotment rules framed by Andhra Pradesh. “The rules for land lease are being amended now. Political parties and social organisations will also be entitled for government land on lease,” said a revenue department official, requesting anonymity. The revenue department, however, clarified that land would be allotted only to political parties recognised by the Election Commission of India.

“The land leased can only be used for the construction of office building and not residential complex,”

said the revenue official.

However, when a political party ceases to exist, the land will be resumed by the government, and in case the political party is divided into factions, the lease of the land will be given to the faction recognised by the election commission,” said the official.

The lease rules amended in 2013 allows land on lease for different purposes, only by sanction to persons with sanction from competent authority. The land laws permit lease only for public interest. The government charges 10% of the total market fees of the land to be leased.