In the heart of New Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has approached the Supreme Court, asserting that their party headquarters situated in the Rouse Avenue court area is not an encroachment. They emphasize that it was legally allocated to the political party long before earmarking it for the expansion of the Rouse Avenue court complex. The party expresses awareness of the crucial need for judicial infrastructure benefiting Delhi’s citizens and displays a willingness to relocate its state unit office to a suitable alternative space.
The intervention application filed by AAP argues that the premises were officially granted to them by the government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD) on December 31, 2025, specifically for their state unit office. According to the party, such allocation of office space for official party activities is a fundamental aspect of public funding for elections in India, designed to ensure a level playing field in the electoral arena.
Contrary to being considered ‘encroachment,’ AAP asserts that they have occupied the premises since 2015, well before the Rouse Avenue Court Complex extension plans were formulated. The Land & Development Office (L&DO) allotted 3.03 acres of land to GNCTD on September 18, 2020, for additional courtrooms for Rouse Avenue court, which was described as adjacent to the existing court. The application questions the lack of due diligence by the L&DO in examining the pre-existing status of the land and its vacancy.
The party contends that an immediate vacation of the premises would leave them without any of the two entitled office spaces, severely prejudicing their position and the fairness of the electoral process, especially with impending general elections. While AAP expresses readiness to vacate, they request the Hon’ble Court to direct vacation only after allocating at least one of the two entitled office spaces in the New Delhi Municipal area, in line with their status as a National Party.
On February 13, the Supreme Court expressed concern upon discovering that the AAP office in Rouse Avenue was constructed on land initially allotted to the Delhi High Court. The court sought a timeline for the removal of this encroachment, emphasizing that taking the law into one’s own hands is not permissible, and the political party must end its occupation as the high court intends to use the land for infrastructure benefiting the residents of Delhi in dispute resolution.
These observations were made by the apex court in the context of a broader case addressing judicial infrastructure nationwide, with the matter scheduled for the next hearing on Monday.
