Conversion of leasehold plots to freehold: Post Supreme Court rap, MHA seeks info from Chandigarh

Chandigarh, August 31

After the Supreme Court rap, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought additional information from the UT Administration on conversion of leasehold industrial and commercial plots to freehold.

During a hearing, the Supreme Court had on Monday junked all objections raised by the administration on conversion of the leasehold industrial and commercial plots to freehold and directed the UT and MHA to do the “needful” within three weeks.

The directions came in the case of Estate Officer versus Charanjit Kaur.

A senior UT official said the MHA had sought more information from the administration before taking a final call on conversion of the leasehold industrial and commercial plots to freehold. He said now the ball was in the court of the MHA and Centre would take a final decision on the issue.

The MHA would hold deliberations with other Union ministries, including Finance and Housing and Urban Affairs, before deciding on the matter.

Nearly 70% commercial and industrial plots in the city are leasehold, allowing occupation for a limited period, mostly 99 years, with government agencies holding the ownership rights.