Congress
RTI reveals Congress occupied former 24 Akbar Road headquarters without authorisation since 2013
New Delhi/IBNS: An official Right to Information (RTI) reply has stated that the Congress has remained in "unauthorised occupation" of its former headquarters at 24, Akbar Road in New Delhi since June 26, 2013.
The RTI response also says that the Union government has not received any rent for the property during this period and that the party's outstanding dues are still being assessed.
The information was provided by the Directorate of Estates under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in response to an RTI application.
According to the RTI reply, Bungalow No. 24 at Akbar Road, located in Lutyens' Delhi, was allotted to the Congress on August 7, 1992.
The Directorate of Estates said the allotment was cancelled with effect from June 26, 2013.
The department stated that the property has remained under the party's "unauthorised occupation" since the cancellation came into effect.
The RTI response further stated that the government has not received any rent for the bungalow since June 26, 2013.
It added that the outstanding dues payable by the Congress are "under review and yet to be determined", indicating that the amount recoverable from the party has not yet been finalised.
Vacate notices not provided under RTI
The RTI applicant had also requested copies of any notices issued to the Congress asking it to vacate the premises.
The Directorate of Estates declined to provide those documents, saying the records were not maintained in a compiled format.
The department cited Section 7(9) of the RTI Act, stating that compiling the requested information would "disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority".
The latest disclosure follows an earlier RTI reply in 2018.
At that time, the Directorate of Estates had said the licence fee for 24, Akbar Road had been revised to Rs 3,920 per month with effect from July 1, 2017.
The earlier response also included the 2013 cancellation letter issued to the Congress and noted that the party's request to retain the bungalow while continuing to pay the normal licence fee was under consideration.
RTI also sought BJP's former HQ's details
Meanwhile, the RTI application also sought information regarding 11, Ashoka Road, the former headquarters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
According to the Directorate of Estates, the bungalow was allotted to the BJP on March 21, 1985.
However, the department said the property now forms part of the Lok Sabha Members' Pool.
The Directorate transferred the portion of the RTI application relating to rent collection and the entity currently paying rent to the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
The RTI response also stated that any outstanding dues payable by the BJP, if applicable, are "under review and yet to be determined".
Previous RTI confirmed BJP's possession
An RTI reply in 2019 had stated that 11, Ashoka Road continued to remain in the BJP's possession as its party office.
The response to an RTI application filed in 2018 had also noted that the prescribed licence fee for the bungalow had been revised to Rs 3,920 per month with effect from July 1, 2017.
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