SC no to de-sealing Delhi banquet hall

SC said it was illegally carrying on business in connivance with the civic authorities, reports Satya Prakash.

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to de-seal a Central Delhi banquet hall operating on a plot in an industrial area, saying it was illegally carrying on business in connivance with the civic authorities.

After perusing the report of its Monitoring Committee, a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice YK Sabharwal asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Development Authority and the counsel for the applicant Alfa Garden, Pusha Road to file their response to the report. The matter will be taken up for hearing after three weeks.

The Bench asked MCD counsel Sanjiv Sen to file a report particularly about tampering with the seals and misuse of the land.

The court observed that it was a total fraud as the licence for running the banquet hall had expired years ago.

The reports also pointed out that the seals put on the banquet hall were tampered with twice and originally the area was earmarked for the school in the layout plan but it was being used for running a banquet hall and a restaurant.

"Is banquet hall an industrial activity," the Bench wondered while refusing to de-seal Alfa Garden at Pusa Road.

Senior counsel Mukul Rohtagi had sought de-sealing of the banquet hall on behalf of the applicant on the ground that it was the venue for his daughter's marriage, scheduled to be solemnised on Monday.

Municipal Corporation of Delhi has only allowed the running of restaurant at Alfa Garden and has sealed the rest of the premises.

Email Satya Prakash: satya.prakash@hindustantimes.com

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