The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) told the Delhi High Court on Thursday that it has withdrawn its Wednesday’s notice sealing certain portions of luxury hotel Le Meridien over alleged illegal construction.
‘Unauthorised’
The court asked the NDMC to furnish certain details and reports to the hotel to enable it to respond to the council’s show cause notice, which had said that construction carried out in the commercial block of the hotel was “unauthorised” and without the prior approval of the council.
The court noted that the NDMC could take action as per law thereafter.
Relevant documents
Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain told the court that NDMC’s sealing order will be treated as withdrawn as it was passed without giving relevant documents, including inspection reports, to the hotel authorities.
The matter had reached the High Court after the hotel approached it against the council’s move to seal certain portions, including restaurant, banquet halls, gymnasium and other common areas.
On Wednesday, NDMC officials had said that 24 portions of the property were sealed, including 10 points in the commercial tower, 11 in the hotel block and three in the basement. However, the court directed it to de-seal the area as an interim relief.
The Additional Solicitor General said that a list of all the deviations was mentioned in the order given to the hotel.
In September 2017, NDMC had carried out sealing drive at the hotel’s commercial tower. However, the tower was de-sealed after one of the occupants filed a writ petition in the high court.
The court has posted the case for further hearing on March 8.
