Above: Le Meredien hotel in New Delhi

CJ International Hotels Pvt Ltd, operators of the Le Meridien Hotel in New Delhi, have petitioned the Chief Justice bench of the Delhi High Court to get a re-reading of the court’s single bench order of 2001. That single judge bench had dismissed the hoteliers’ amended application, allowing the municipality, owners of the land, to force eviction for non-payment of dues. The hoteliers’ are fighting to keep possession of the prime land.

On Friday (December 15) the hoteliers’ counsel submitted to the bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar this appeal. The bench observed: “We can appoint a bureaucrat as intervener in this matter as to what the single judge said in its order of 2001?”

To which the petitioner’s counsel replied: “It is not an issue. However, the whole suit is relied only on that order of 2001. That’s the only issue and we will have to examine it.”

The bench was hearing the plea by CJ International Hotels Pvt Ltd seeking a stay on evacuation proceedings and alleged arbitrary action by New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) over alleged non-payment of dues.

The Court posted the matter for next hearing to January 15, 2018.

—India Legal Bureau