NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has quashed the Centre’s 37-year-old eviction notice against Express Newspapers, declaring it arbitrary and malafide. The decision effectively terminates the government’s attempt to reclaim the iconic ‘Express Building’ at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, where the media house has been headquartered for decades.
Justice Prathiba M Singh, while addressing the lawsuits filed by both the Central government and Express Newspapers Ltd more than three decades ago, on Friday stated that the government’s actions were an attempt to “muzzle Express Newspapers and dry up its source of income.”
The ruling underscores the prolonged battle between the two entities, which stems from the government’s efforts to suppress the media house following its critical coverage during the Emergency period of 1975-1977.
The court ordered Express Newspapers to pay the Centre approximately `64,03,007.44, covering conversion charges, ground rent, and additional ground rent. However, it ruled that the Union of India is not entitled to possession of the plot, invalidating the notices issued to the media house and its tenants in 1987 as unlawful.
Justice Singh’s 118-page judgment noted that the breaches alleged by the government, such as unauthorised use and sub-letting, were not substantiated by the records. The court emphasized that these issues had already been resolved by the Supreme Court in 1985, making the government’s subsequent actions legally indefensible.
The judgment also criticised the government’s conduct, highlighting that the eviction notice was never properly served to Express Newspapers, which only learned of it through another newspaper.
The court concluded with a powerful reminder of the importance of press freedom, quoting Nelson Mandela: “A free press is one of the pillars of democracy.”