Summary: After years of legal back-and-forth, the Delhi High Court has ordered the execution of a long-term lease for a property at Old Khyber Pass, Delhi, ending a prolonged dispute over ownership and lease rights.
The case began when Jasleen Ravi Inder Singh and others filed a request against the Land and Development Office (L&DO) and others, trying to stop the tearing down of their property known as "Army Press" at Old Khyber Pass, Delhi. The property, which is 1013 square yards, was stuck in a legal fight over who owned it and the lease details.
The property was sold at an auction on January 27, 1957, and bought by Devinder Singh, who had been displaced after the partition. Singh paid Rs. 3,05,000, and he was given temporary control on November 8, 1962. However, problems came up about the lease of the land under the property, which was originally leased until March 31, 1959.
The L&DO argued that only the building was sold, not the land. Despite this, the Singh family kept control and asked for a long-term lease. The High Court pointed out that the lease should have been extended according to rules that allow renewals every 30 years.
Judge Amit Sharma decided in favor of Jasleen Ravi Inder Singh and others, ordering the L&DO to create a 30-year lease starting from November 8, 1962, with options to renew for two more 30-year periods. The court stressed that the Singh family had done what they were supposed to and that the lease should match the original terms agreed upon during the auction.
"The respondent No.1 should execute a lease deed of land with superstructure in favor of the petitioners for 30 years w.e.f. 08.11.1962," stated the judgment.
The decision canceled a 2006 notice to tear down the property and highlighted the importance of respecting old agreements, especially those involving people who were displaced. The court's ruling makes sure the Singh family's rights are protected, allowing them to secure their property's future.
