Sainik Farms: Delhi govt wants two more months for regularisation policy

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According to the plea, the proposals “have to be circulated” among the concerned departments such as Law, Finance, Planning and Revenue departments of the Delhi government.

After this, they will be “placed before the council of ministers”. The proposals will then be sent to the Centre for approval.

The bench, which said it “would be forced to issue orders” to demolish the farms if the government continued to “drag its feet”, has now agreed to hear the plea on August 19. This is also the date of hearing of a bunch of PILs regarding unauthorised construction in the capital.

For now, the bench has directed Delhi government standing counsel Raman Duggal to bring “all original documents and notings” relating to the decision-making process for the court’s perusal.

NGO Paardarshita Foundation, in its PIL on unauthorised construction in Sainik Farms, had alleged that over 500 new illegal constructions have come up in the area and tonnes of building material was being transported there despite the court’s 2007 order prohibiting the same.

In February this year, the court directed the government to create a regularisation policy for colonies such as Sainik Farms, after noting that the amendment to the Delhi Special Laws Act to protect all unauthorised construction up to July 1, 2014 “should be challenged by someone”.

“What was illegal in the previous Act, has become legal in new one (amended Act). Your (Centre) government is legalising what has been illegal,” the bench had commented, while directing the Centre and the Delhi government to formulate rules.

On July 15, the bench had displayed its ire at the Delhi government’s delay in formulating the policy.

It had said it could “order demolition of all properties” if the policy was not put in place within four weeks.