URMILA PUNERA Vs. U O I

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioners seek a direction to the respondent State of maharashtra to give them alternative accommodation in 'a' Block in Sirmur plot.

(2.) A working women's Hostel known as Western House was located in four buildings in Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi. It is part of an property known as Sermur. In 1964, the Central Government, acting through the ministry of Urban Development took possession of the property and continued to manage the Hostel. The petitioners claim to be residents as licensees in those premises. On 29. 12. 1998 the President of India as Lessor permitted handing over of the possession of the plot, which apparently originally belong to the State of Maharashtra. The letter also contained a condition that possession would be handed over to the Government of maharashtra only after relocation of the occupants at the cost of the State government and that the CPWD/directorate would take all steps to evict all those, if necessary, while relocating them elsewhere.

(3.) SOMETIME in 2001 apprehending threat of eviction of the residents who lived in the Working Women's Hostel, the All India Democratic women's Association filed a writ petition being W. P. (C) 3095/2001 seeking several reliefs. On 16th May, 2001 this Court issued an interim order direction that no demolition should take place unless the eviction orders were finalized. Later, after noticing the purport and intent of the letter dated 29. 12. 1998, this Court disposed off that writ petition inter alia stating as follows: