HC rejects plea on regularisation of unauthorised colonies

"We don't want to interfere into government's decision. No interim relief can be granted. Application dismissed," said a bench of Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw.

The plea had been made by H R Suri, an architect and town planner, through his counsel Anil Aggarwal.

In his petition, Suri had said, "This court is yet to decide his plea questioning the power of the Centre, the city government and the DDA to regularise unauthorised colonies and the city government cannot take a decision on a sub-judice matter."

The old petition had sought a direction to restrain all relevant authorities from taking any decision to regularise unauthorised colonies in the NCT of Delhi.

The new petition referred to a media report on Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's promises to regularise 917 unauthorised colonies.

"In case, the respondents succeed in their plans and designs to illegally regularise unauthorised colonies, not only this would perpetuate illegality but will also render the petition futile and will frustrate the endeavour of the petitioner," the petition said.

The city Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna approved regularisation of 895 out of 917 colonies on September 3.

Following the LG's direction, the Delhi government has asked all the three municipal corporations to take the help of professional architects to make layout plans.