PWD asks AAP to vacate party office immediately

The Public Works Department of the Delhi government asked the Aam Aadmi Party to immediately vacate the party’s office on DDU Marg that was allotted last year in “violation” of the rules, invoking criticism from the party leaders who described the move as gross “injustice”.

The development comes at a time when the party is preparing to contest April 23 polls for the three municipal corporations.

“People are after us. Hamara samman bahar fhekne ki taiyarri hai (preparation is on to throw our belongings out). We have received a notice to immediately vacate the office when we are preparing for the MCD elections,” party leader Ashish Khetan said.

The PWD served the notice less than a week after lieutenant governor Anil Baijal ordered cancellation of the allotment the wake of a report by the Shunglu Committee which pointed out “irregularities” in allotment.

The PWD had allotted 206, Rouse Avenue on DDU Marg to the AAP to set up its office on January 20, 2016. The single-storey four-bedroom house with a huge garden, from where the AAP has been operating since January 25, 2016, is located opposite the Delhi Congress office. Before it was allotted to AAP, the property was earlier allotted repeatedly to former Delhi ministers, including ex-AAP minister Asim Ahmed Khan.

In November 2015, the AAP government had approved a policy for land allotment to state parties. The Kejriwal government then alloted a bungalow to the AAP on Rouse Avenue in 2016.

However, the PWD, in an observation to the L-G office, said that the city government doesn’t have power to allot land to political parties as such powers in Delhi are vested with the Centre.