Delhi High Court Upholds AAP’s Claim for Office Space, Nudges Centre

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday affirmed the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) right to a party office space in the capital, mirroring the accommodations provided to other political parties.

Justice Subramonium Prasad instructed the Centre to decide on this matter within six weeks, saying that “pressure” or lack of available housing cannot justify denying the request.

The AAP, now a national party, is seeking office space from the Centre’s general pool. With a June 15 deadline to vacate its Rouse Avenue office, the party had proposed temporarily using a unit on Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) Marg. However, Justice Prasad clarified that the AAP cannot claim entitlement to this specific property.

Last year, the AAP petitioned the high court for land to construct its office or a temporary licensed housing unit, given its national party status. The court is still considering this land allotment request. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has granted the AAP until June 15 to vacate its current office, as the land is earmarked for Delhi High Court’s expansion.

The party argued that since all other national parties have been allotted centrally located office spaces in New Delhi, it deserves similar treatment under the Centre’s policy. If rejected, the AAP can pursue further legal action.