Centre plans bill to defer sealing in Delhi till 2014

Barely four months before the municipal polls in the Capital, the Centre has decided to table a bill in Parliament to defer sealing and demolition of more than one lakh unauthorised residential and commercial properties till December 2014.

Barely four months before the municipal polls in the Capital, the Centre has decided to table a bill in Parliament to defer sealing and demolition of more than one lakh unauthorised residential and commercial properties till December 2014.

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The drive began in 2006, following a Supreme Court order. But as it triggered huge controversy, the Centre decided to stop it and kept on deferring it so far.

The bill will provide immunity to all the properties that have unauthorised constructions, shops/commercial establishments running from residential areas, designer boutiques and furniture showrooms in Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, Shah Pur Jat, Hauz Khas Village and other rural and urbanised villages.

Besides, slums, hospitals, schools and religious institutions that have encroached on public land will also be spared.

Earlier, the urban development (UD) ministry sought legal advice to extend the tenure of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Special Provisions) Bill.

The law ministry, in response, cleared the proposal of the UD ministry to ban sealing and demolition of properties that came up before 2006 for three years.

“The UD ministry will now put it up for cabinet nod. It will then be introduced in the winter session of Parliament,” said a source.

In his opinion, additional solicitor general Vivek Tankha said the Centre desired to extend the moratorium on sealing and demolition since it wanted adequate time to come up with a holistic approach.

Based on the advice from one of its senior law officers, the legal arm of the government said, “It is the duty of the state to meet the demands of hawkers, small vendors and common citizens.”