Prithi Singh v. DDA

-t*- dr (% lN 'l'lllrl IIIGII'(lOUllT (}[' tr]EI'III w.P.(c) 2232.!2010 t,til t'tll tilNGII 'l'hrouglr: fudgment Deliveretl on: 09'1 l'2012 ..... Pctiticlncr Mr'.lt.K. Saini ancl Mr-Vil':ram saini, Ac{vs' .-1. ,l-T VOl'SUS I)I)N ..... I{cspotldctrt Ms.Shobhna'l'akiar, Aclv-lclr tho I)J)n Mr.Arun llirbal, Advocatc for thc lt-2 'ilrrotrgh: (]0I?AM: lnON'tll[i MIt. :f USTICI{]' G.S'StrS'fAhiI g-.s.sISTANI, J. (0lrl/.)

¶1'l'hr: agricqh.ural lancl of tho pctitionol was accprirod' In Jicrr gl' cornpul:;ory accluisition, on 09.l2.lg81 a rccolntrcnclatiori lt'as tnaclr:' to t6c I)l)A by thc Laltcl & Iluildjng I)cpar:tlnent oJ-j)clhi Aclniirris"r'aliorr iir i'arrour ol' lirtlicr oJ'thc potitioncrr lor allolmcnt cf an ahc';rta1i'g plot oi 400 sc1. ycls., cor"lscclLlcnt to whic;h a c{raw was ircld on -j I .12..ll992 b;r Lhc l)l)A. A plot rncasurin g334 sq. tnctcrs bceu'irrg1 No.}2, Poclicl-li' ficclor ll-4 Narcla, I)clhi was allottocl and an allotmctrt-ctun-dctnand lcttcr wali issucci by thc J)l)z\ irr his farvour on 18.01.199:1. On accounl o['lron-paylronl, ])l)A canccJlccl iho itllotn:t:nt, hcltvcvcr, oll ii ropl't-scntali';tl rnadc thc iillotrncnt r.vas rcsltlrcd by a lcll.cr rjatcd lil-.03-199'i.

¶2[Jp61 clcrlisc of Sh.Gurciayal (lattrer oJ-ttre pctitioncr), t]ic pct'iti'rn':i' lrarcto arr applicralicrn to thc DDA for ntutation, rvhich wa:; allowecl vitlc lr:trcr clatcd 21.(t5.lgg1 an<l lhcrcaftcr on I J.09.199'/, a posscssiotr [c1.icr was issLrcti bl,ttrc I)l)z\. l>ossr:ssioil v/r:s hantlcci ovcl'on 2(;.0t).i!)97 arrcl [hcr-caiic,. I)l)n r:xccr,rted apcrpctttit] lcasr: ilr t'cspt:ct ol'thc dcmiscci plot' WP(C1t\to.2232i2010 -} ) .et. l,ttgt: 7 ol $ ar\ (.r On accclunt of financial difficulties and l-arnily probletns, thc potitioncr could not construct over thc plot within a pcriod ol two ycars, as stipulatcd in clausc 4 of tlrc T,casc dccd. Pctitioncrr thcrcaltcr made a rccprcst to thc DDn sccking cxtcnsion of timc for carrying out construction on 04.07.200tt. Ilowcvcr, till I)ccctnbcr, 2009, thc pctitioncr did not rcccivc any rcply/lctler ft'orn the DDA. In thc abscnoc ol any rcsponsc fiom thc DDA, thc pctitioner was colnpclled to givc a rcrnindcr in writing cln 28.01.2010 rcclucsting I)DA to allow cxtcnsion of timc to construct thc building cln thc derniscci plot. Ily a lettcl daLccl

10.03.20iti rccprcst of thc pctitioncr was clcolincd by thc DI)A on thc ground that thc rccommcndaticln lettcr No.33l35ll2\l87 - I.&B/t\1t142110-11 stood r.vithdrawn by thc Land &. Iluilding I)epar1mcnl, Dclhi Adrninistration, as posscssion of thc acciuircd ianci was not hancJr:cl ovcr to thcm. As thc pctitioncr lracl ah'cady hanclec{ over posscssi<lu o[ the accluircc{ land and thc pctitioner had not rcccivccl any lcttct' liorn thc I-ancl &" iluilding I)cparlmenl, r.viLhdraiting thcir rcoornmcndation, thc pctitioncr hlcd thc prcscrrt'uvrit pctition. I)uring l"ho pcndoncy of thc writ pctition, thc Lancl &. lluilding Deirartnrctrt was implcadcd as a party vide ordcr clatcd 25.02.201I. A short affidavit has bccn lilccl by thc l,and & Iluitding Dcparttncnt. Itclcvant portion of thc affidavit rcads as unclcr: "3. 'I'hat as pcr thc rccord of Governmctrt of NC'l' of Dclhi, tJrc larrct of Sh.Curclayal son ol'Shli Molar, v/as acquirccl in Villagc Narcla (llholgarh). I'hc total land accluircd was 35 bigha 19 biswa, in which Strri Gurdayal was having lz sharc vidc a'uvard No.1911978-78 clatcd 12.06.1978 by thc (io.rt. for thc purposc of planncd devcloprncnl of Dclhi undcr thc scirctnc of largc scalc acqlrisition and clcvoioprncnt of land jn I)elhi-1961. Notificzilion klr thc accluisition of land undcr Scction 4. o[ Land Accluisition Act was issued viclc notil'rcation No.li.1.(43)l63f'8LIJA,L daiccl

¶3iri'l VJP(c)Na.2232/2a70 Page 2 of ti r \r U

30.10. 1963. [Jltirnatcly posscssion of thc accprircd iand was taken on 10.07.1978 and cornponsation was paid to thc applicant on

27.07.1978. Applicatiolt for altornatc plot in this casc was filcd on

26.08.1987.

¶4'I'hc Land & Iluilding I)cpartmcnt aflcr considcring thc application of Shri Gurdayal issucd a rccornrlcndation lcttcr in his ibvour c{atcd 09112/57 in filc No.Ir33(3 5)/28187/I-&ll/AL'l' fot allotmcnt of a .100 square yards plot to DDA. A copy of the said lcttcr"was also scnt to the applicant.

¶5'l'hat it is now in thc puivicw of I)DA to allot an aitcrnativc plot to thc petitioncr as pcr its policy.

6.'l'hat !!r91cs12u@ casc-h4g-11o.!-bg9a withclrawn b), thc rc-plyigg dcpartrncnt." Counscl for thc DDA sr-rbmits that thc DI)n reccivcd a lcttcr from thc l,ancl &. tluilding I)cparttncnt informing thc DDA tllal 1hc l'ccommondation of the pctitioncr stands withdrawn. Counscl for DI)A ilrrlher submils that no1 only was this cornmunioation rcccivcd, thc Land & Iluilding I)cparlmcnt had also issucd a show causc noticc Lcr thc pctitioncr. Copy of thc lcttor'has bcen plarccd on rccord. Cotrnscl fbr the pctitioncr as also cclr-urscl lbr thc Laud & Iluilding Dcpartmont submit that thc lcttcr clatecl 26.05.2,000 issuocl try thc Lancl 8r Iluril<ling I)cpartmcnt to thc DI)n \\ias a gcneral lctlcr ancl it did not pcrtain 1o thc pctitioncr', tind furthcr at no point of tirnc clid thc DDA scck clarification i}om thc Land & Iluilcling l)cpartmcnt bcforc rcjccting thc rcqucst clf thc pctitioncr

¶5J havc lrcard connscl lLr thc partics and considcrccl thcir rival snbmissions. It is not jn clispule that thc agricultural land oI thc petitioncr ',vas acquircd and as pol' thc policy of thc Land & Iluilding I)cpartmcnt ancl an altcmatc plot of 400 sq. yds. wars <l{fcrod to thc pctitioncr. 't'hc nartc oI thc pctitioncr was includccl in the draw, wJ'rich

¶4the but \i" wP(C)No.2232/201.0 i was lrcld by thc DDA on 3l .12.1992 and a plot rneasuring 334 sq. mtrs. was allotted to the pctitionct', posscssion of this plot was also handecl ovcr and a lcasc clcccl was aiso cxccuted on 03.11.1997. Petitioner rcqucstcd thc DDA for cxtension o{ tirnc lbr carrying out construction ovcr tho plot which was rcjcctcd <ln thc grouucl thal thc rccoult"u.cttclatiou madc by thc l,ancl & l]uilding Dcparlrnent was withdrawn. I{cliancc has bccn placed by the DDA on a coulrnunication datcd 27.06.2000, which tcacls as undcr: "J'o 'l'hc l)cputy Director (I.A) I{cscll. Dclhi l)cvolopmcnt Atrthorily, Vikas Sadan, I.N.A. Ncw Delhi. Sub: Allotmcnt of alternative plot under thc schcme of [.,arge Scale Acquisition. I)cvcloprnent & I)isposal of f-,and-Minutes of the meetins held on 14.12.99 at 11.00 A.M. in the Chamber of Addilional Secretarv-(Land). I-,&l] -l]cpartmcnt. Govt. Of NCT of Dclhi. Sir, 'Kindly tcfer to your lcttcr No. It.ll(782)l?'71 LSB(I9/57[14 datcd 7.4.2000 on thc subjcct citcd abovc. Irr this conncction, I atn clircctcd to in.friun you thal tlrc carlicr rccornlrendations (as per" list attachcd) rnadc by ttris dcpartmcnt harrc bcon rc-cxamincd. DDA has norv cxprcsscd its inability to allot altcrnativc plot to such rccomrncndatious in whosc cascs.l.hc pclsscssion o['thc accluircd land was uot handcd clvcr to thcm. Accordingly, it is proposod by thc clcpartmcnt to withdravr thc aforcsaid rccolnmcrrclation sincc thc accluirccl land in thosc cases worc not transl-crrcd l"o I)I)4." I{cading ol'tbc abovc lcttcr shou's that it is a gcneral lcttcr aud notthat thc allotmcnt made in lar,'our oI thc pctitioncl has bocn spccificaliy canccllcd. livcn cltircrwisc l"he lctter ol 27.06.2000 docs nol pcrtain to srant of cxtcnsion oJ-timc lor constt'uction. 'l'he lcttor datccl 27.06.2Q00 't +-l

¶6wP(C)No.2232/2070 Poge 4 of 6 T^t t sought to be rclicd Ltpon by thc DDn in fact is not an applicablc and has nothing to do with thc rccluest of t.hc pctitioncr for cxtcnsion of timc to ccrnstnrction. 'fhc lcttcr clatod 27.06.2000 is with rcspcct to the allotrncnt of altcrnative plot whercas jn the case of thc pctitioncr a plot was allotted to him on 18.01 .1993, posscssion grantcd on26.09.1997 and pcrpctual lcasc cxcoutcd on 3.I1.I997.'I'he reliancc by thc DDA on thc show callsc noticc jssuccl to thc lathcr of the pctiticlncr aud a copy rnarkcd to tho DDA is also nrisplaccd as it sccm cvcn thc shclw cause notioc was gcncral in naturc for thc rcason it talks of "inability on Lhc part oJ'thc I)DA to allot an altcrnatc plot tcl such recomrlonclcos in whosc cascs posscssion of 1he acquirccl land rvas nothanclcd over". In thc case of thc pctitioncr ailotmcnt was alrcaciy maclc. IJc that as it rnay in case thc DDA hacl any doubts DDA should havc takon up thc rrrattcr with thc L&ll dcpartmcnt and not lbrccd thc pctitioncr to approaoh this oourt. 'l'his is yct anothcr casc of thc DDA cither not npplying its rnind or lor rcasons bcst known an attcrnpt to harass an oldinary citizcn. [t is shocking that dospitc thc rcclucst of thc pctitioncr sincc 20()6 thc DDA dicl not bothcr to scck a clarification ftorn thc L&B dcpartrncnt.

¶7In viow of the counter allidavit which has bccn filcd by thc Lancl & Iluilding Dcpartmcnt, whercin it has bcon catcgorically statcci that thc l'cootntncndation rnaclc in t]ris case has noL bccn withclrawn, thc writ pctition is allowccl.

¶8DI)A is clircctsd to considcl'tirc rcqucst ol'thc pctitioncr {or extcnsion oI time lbr rnising consLruction ovcr thc subjcct plot. 'I'he tcciucst of tfrc pcti{.ionc-r will bc considcrc.l by thc DI)A r,vithin a pcriocl ol 60 <iays Ii'om loclay and in case it is declinccl a reasonccl ordcl will bc passcd and commnnicatcd tcl thc pctitioncr at thc aclciress rncntioncd in thc writ pctition. Writ pctition is allorvcd with costs of I1s.5,000/-. Page 5 a;6 + wP(C)No.2232/2070 I "l-, CM.No.7651/2012

¶9In vicw of ordcr passed in thc writ pctition, prcscnt application is disrnisscd. t F :{ NOVI'lMIlIllt 09,20L2 ssn /4--C'-9h-' J./- G.S.SIS'I'ANtr. J Poge 6 al 6 tilP(C)No.2232/207C