Delhi High Court Orders Government to Allocate Residence for Arvind Kejriwal Within 10 Days

Arvind Kejriwal vacated his official residence at 6, Flagstaff Road in October 2024.

New Delhi:

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Delhi High Court on Thursday that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal will receive an appropriate government residence allocation within 10 days.

During a virtual appearance, Solicitor General Mehta assured Justice Sachin Datta, "He (Kejriwal) will be allotted the appropriate accommodation within 10 days from today. You may record my statement."

The Court documented this assurance and emphasized that the matter should not remain unresolved. Justice Datta stated that the Ministry's allotment practices need comprehensive addressing, not just for politicians but also for non-politicians.

"It is an issue that has to be resolved," remarked the judge.

During proceedings, Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra, representing AAP, contended that Mr. Kejriwal deserves a Type 7 or Type 8 bungalow and should not be downgraded to a Type 5 accommodation. "I am not favoured, I am not Bahujan Samaj Party," he stated, implying differential treatment.

The Court advised that dialogue would be more effective than litigation for resolving the issue. "If you are not happy, don't take it. The solution lies in you having a conversation with the Solicitor General," observed Justice Datta.

The judge also granted Mr. Kejriwal permission to directly approach the Ministry to resolve the matter.

When Mehra responded to the Solicitor General's remarks by stating that "all this sloganeering was appropriate at elections, this is court," the judge concluded: "I will record that appropriate accommodation will be given within 10 days. We will record your statement and pass an order."

The Court indicated it would issue a formal order on the matter later.

During the previous hearing, the High Court had expressed dissatisfaction with the Centre's handling of Kejriwal's housing request, noting that the allotment process should not appear arbitrary or selective.

Mr. Kejriwal vacated his official residence at 6, Flagstaff Road in October 2024 after stepping down as Chief Minister and has since been residing at another party member's official quarters near Mandi House.

The AAP has been requesting the bungalow at 35 Lodhi Estate, previously occupied by BSP chief Mayawati, but the Centre informed the Court that this property had already been assigned to a Minister of State. The government emphasized that political parties cannot demand specific bungalows and that allocations depend on availability and the waiting list.

Justice Datta had directed the government to document the policy governing allotments, the current waiting list, and the date when 35 Lodhi Estate was reallocated. "It is not acceptable that while passovers are sought in Court, allotments are being made outside. The waiting list cannot be used as a reason for indefinite delay," the judge had stated.