Decide issue of unauthod colonies' regularisation: HC to govt

The Delhi High Court today left it to the Centre and the Delhi government to decide on the issue of regularisation of unauthorised colonies, including the posh Sainik Farms, in the national capital.
A bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Rekha Palli disapproved the matter going "back and forth" between the Delhi government and the Centre over the issue, which it noted has been "pending for over a decade".
"This back and forth has to go. We cannot monitor it. We want you to decide it, whatever it takes," the court told central government standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia, who appeared for the Ministry of Urban Development.

The court's oral direction came after Delhi government counsel Rahul Mehra said it has forwarded to the Centre its decision to regularise unauthorised colonies, but the Union Government was yet to take a decision despite over a year having gone by.
The Centre, on the other hand, said no decision has been taken as certain clarifications sought from the Delhi government have not yet been received.
After hearing the brief contentions of both sides, the bench directed the Centre and Delhi government to file affidavits indicating the steps taken by them on the regularisation issue to substantiate the claims made by them before the court.

The matter was then listed for hearing on May 30.

The court also said that it was thinking of setting up a board comprising all stakeholders to regularly monitor the issue.
It was hearing a PILs filed by individuals and an NGO, Paardarshita, who have alleged that illegal construction was rampant in Sainik Farms.
The court had earlier asked the Centre to take an "in- principle decision" on AAP government's proposal to regularise unauthorised colonies in the city.