Non-delivery of plot to BJP; HC imposes cost on L&D office

The Delhi High Court today imposed a cost of Rs 3,000 on the Land and Development office for not filing its reply to BJP's plea that it has not been so far handed over a plot for its Delhi office despite paying over Rs 1.30 crore in 2007.
Justice G S Sistani also asked the department to file its response within four weeks to the contempt petition filed by Delhi BJP through its then president Vijender Gupta and fixed the case for hearing on July 23.
"The court may kindly direct the contemnors to purge their contempt by delivery of vacant possession of plot nos. 4-5 Kotla Road Institutional Area, New Delhi to BJP, Delhi," the petition said.

BJP has sought initiation of contempt proceedings against Sudhir Krishna, Principal Secretary of Urban Development Ministry and Mahmood Ahmed, the Land and Development Officer in the ministry.
Initially, Delhi unit of BJP was allotted a plot at Deen Dayal Upadhaya Marg here in 2001 and on May 8, 2007, the party made a payment of over Rs 1.30 crore to Land and Development office, the petition said.
However, S Jaipal Reddy, then Urban Development Minister, later asked BJP to consider accepting another plot as the allotted plot at Deen Dayal Upadhaya Marg was adjacent to the land given to Delhi unit of Congress party and it may lead to "unpleasant" situations in future.

BJP said the plot, which was allotted later, has been encroached upon and the Land and Development office said the party would be responsible for removing them, it said.
The court then rejected the stand of the department and asked it provide "vacant possession" of plot to BJP "on or before October 31, 2011."
The contempt plea has been filed against the two officers of the department as BJP, despite the court order, has not been handed over the plot to construct a office for Delhi state unit.