The Supreme Court on Monday extended till August 10 the deadline for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to vacate (AAP) its party headquarter located at the Rouse Avenue as the land was allotted for the expansion of Delhi High Court’s infrastructure.
Extending the deadline for vacating the premises housing its headquarters, a vacation bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta clarified that the extension of time to the AAP is granted as a “last opportunity” and the same is subject to an undertaking to the Supreme Court’s Registry that the party will vacant and hand over the possession of the property on or before August 10, 2024.
“The premises is already allotted to Delhi High Court in 2020. The expansion of High Court is stultified and cost of expansion is also a factor. This application is for extension of time till August 10,2024. Considering the facts and circumstances and as a last opportunity, we extend the time till August 10,2024 on an undertaking to be given by the applicant within a week before the Registry of this court that they shall handover vacant and peaceful possession by August 10, 2024,” the bench said in its order.
The bench allowed an application by the AAP seeking an extension of time till August 10.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had given AAP the deadline of June 15.
The AAP headquarter in Delhi was originally allotted to the Delhi High Court for the expansion of its infrastructure.
Earlier, the AAP had told the top court the said plot had been allotted to it in 2015 and it was earmarked for Delhi High Court only subsequently in 2020. The AAP had also said that since it was having a national party status now, it was entitled to a plot in Central Delhi at par with other national parties.
The top court had directed the AAP to approach the Centre’s Land and Development Office (L&DO) for the allocation of suitable land for its offices.