National Herald case: Delhi HC to pass order on AJL's plea tomorrow

The Delhi High Court will on Friday (December 20) pass an order on Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), owner of National Herald newspaper's plea challenging Centre's decision which had cancelled its lease and ordered it to vacate Herald House on grounds of violation of lease clauses.

The publisher had approached the high court on November 12 against the October 30 order of the Urban Development Ministry, asking it to vacate the building by November 15 stating that Herald House's 56-year-old lease to AJL had ended.

AJL, in its petition stated that the government decision to cancel the lease is "politically motivated". It further stated that the impugned order is vitiated by malafides, bias and has been issued with oblique political motives.

"The proceedings have been initiated for the purposes of scuttling the voices of dissent and the voice of the largest opposition party in the country. It is a clear affront to the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a)of the Constitution and a deliberate attempt to suppress and destroy the legacy of the first Prime Minister of the country Jawaharlal Nehru, by the powers that be," the petition read.

AJL also stated that the shutting down National Herald premises is a "deliberate attempt by the government to suppress and destroy the legacy of Nehru.