Delhi High Court Asks DDA To Decide On Request For Holding Ramleela On Plot Allotted For Judicial Staff Quarters

The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to consider an application for holding Ramleela at a plot in Shahdara, Delhi, which has been acquired by the Delhi Government for the purposes of constructing judicial staff quarters. 

The applicant's request to organize Ramleela at the said plot was rejected by the DDA on 08 August on the ground that the plot was offered to the Department of Law of GNCTD (Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi) for constructing residential staff quarters for judicial officers.

The DDA also cited the Court's order on 29 November 2023 passed in the present petition, where the DDA was directed to not allot or use the said plot for any other purposes. 

The applicant stated that he is actively involved in organizing Ramleela events and that he previously utilised the said plot for Ramleela in 2022. 

The Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Tushar Rao Gedela noted that the applicant sought permission to organize Ramleela at the plot for ten days and undertook to not prejudice the long-term plans for judicial staff quarters. It also noted that the DDA has a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for allotting land for Ramleela 

The Court directed the DDA to decide his application within a week. It noted that if DDA decided to grant permission to the applicant for holding Ramleela at the said plot, it should specify in the allotment letter that the allotment is for a specific purpose and for a limited time frame, and it would not prejudice the long-term plans for judicial staff quarters.

It thus disposed of the petition.

Case title: SAHIL A. GARG NARWARNA vs. UNION OF INDIA AND ORS

Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Del) 1010

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