The Delhi High Court on Thursday upheld a single judge’s order asking Associated Journals Limited, the publisher of Congress-linked newspaper National Herald, to vacate Herald House in New Delhi, Bar and Bench reported. The division bench, however, did not clarify the time in which Associate Journals Limited will have to leave the premises, reported ANI.
The division bench comprising Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice VK Rao had reserved its verdict on February 18 after asking Associated Journals Limited and the central government’s counsels to file written submissions within three days.
The Land and Development Office under the Ministry of Urban Development had asked the Associated Journals to vacate the Herald House building at Press Enclave in ITO by November 15, ending a 56-year-old lease.
The Land and Development Office issued an order on October 30, claiming that Associated Journals violated the land deed by using the building for commercial purposes as no press has been functioning there for the last 10 years. Associated Journals denied the allegation, saying that printing work has been continuing over the last several decades.
The Associated Journals had challenged the government’s order, following which a single judge bench of the High Court asked the Centre to maintain status quo till November 22. However, in December, the bench ordered the publishers to vacate the premises within two weeks. Subsequently, the company approach a larger bench of the court.
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