NEW DELHI: At present, only Congress, among all national political parties, occupies two govt bungalows in Lutyen’s Delhi while four others, including BJP, have one such accommodation each.
Housing and urban affairs ministry, in a reply to TMC’s Sougata Roy, informed Lok Sabha that six govt bungalows have been allotted to Election Commission-approved national political parties.
As per the information, Congress has been allotted two bungalows at 24, Akbar Road and 5, Raisina Road (headquarters of Youth Congress) and these were allotted in 1990 and 1976, respectively.
BJP occupies 9, Pandit Pant Marg bungalow allotted in 1999. Sources said the saffron party has vacated 11 Ashoka Road, which was its headquaters for years, and it has been allotted to party’s Lok Sabha MP from Odisha, Baijayant Panda.
Both Congress and BJP have built their spacious party headquarters outside the Lutyen’s Bungalow Zone (LBZ) on DDU Marg and Kotla Road after govt allotted them land as per norms. The policy specifies that three years after getting land for office or completing construction, political parties must vacate bungalows.
The ministry informed Lok Sabha that 75, North Avenue has been allotted to National People’s Party from Aug 2021 and last year, it allotted one bungalow each to BSP and AAP. While 29, Lodhi Estate has been allotted to BSP, last July govt allotted 1, Pandit Ravi Shankar Shukla Lane to AAP. The ministry said none of the national parties have ever been denied bungalow allotments for their office purpose.
Govt has also provided land to regional political parties in Delhi where they have built or can build their offices and these include Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Dalata Dal, Janata Dal (U), DMK and AIADMK. Even land parcels have been allotted to Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee and Delhi unit of BJP.
As per the policy for allotment of land to national political parties of 2012, parties that occupy bungalow(s) or suite(s) in the Vithalbhai Patel House for their office, should vacate them immediately on the construction of office building on the plot allotted to them or within three years from taking possession of the vacant plot.