The Congress party on Wednesday got eviction notices for its national headquarters 24 Akbar Road, and IYC office 5 Raisina Road. The eviction notices have been received and the last day to vacate the premises is 28th March. Congress is exploring legal options available before it but as per sources, this time government is more aggressive than before.
Congress retained Akbar Road HQ because of its symbolic significance
Even as the party has already shifted its operations to its new headquarters at Indira Bhavan near ITO, it continued to retain the Akbar Road address because of its symbolic and political significance.
Congress calls it 'illegal and politically motivated' move
Reacting to the development, Congress MP and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi has criticised the move, calling it “illegal and politically motivated", and said the party would pursue all available legal options.
Other party functionaries stressed that the Akbar Road property represents an important part of the organisation’s legacy and noted that the Congress has been paying market rent for the bungalow.
The party members also stated that attempts were made after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to have the property allotted to a senior Congress MP, but the effort did not succeed. However, they said that the Raisina Road bungalow had been allotted in the party’s name for use by its youth wing.
The latest development has triggered a concern within the party, with some of the leaders admitting the situation is more pressing than before and the party is now expected to challenge the notices on both legal and political grounds, focusing on due process as well as the broader implications of the decision. Either, the party will move the court or seek additional time from the government.
Reports suggest that the Congress may request a short extension to reorganise the allotment of the property. Another option under consideration is to bring a senior leader to the Rajya Sabha and have the bungalow allotted in their name, making it eligible for continued use. This, however, would require swift political and legal manoeuvring before the March 28 deadline.
