Delhi HC reserves order in Bikaner House rent row

The Centre halted payments citing an alleged property dispute among the Maharaja’s heirs and requested a no-objection certificate from the Rajasthan government.
Delhi HC reserves order in Bikaner House rent row
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NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has reserved its decision on a petition filed by the heirs of Maharaja Dr Karni Singh, the last Maharaja of Bikaner, seeking arrears of rent from the Centre for the occupation of Bikaner House in the national capital.

The heirs are demanding payment for the period from 1991, when the Centre allegedly ceased rent payments, until 2014, when it vacated the property.

Representing the Maharaja’s estate, Advocate Sriharsha Peechara argued that the Centre had taken Bikaner House on rent under a 1951 ex gratia arrangement. According to this, one-third of the rent was paid to the Maharaja and two-thirds to the Rajasthan government. Rent payments continued until September 1991, but ceased following the Maharaja’s death.

The Centre halted payments citing an alleged property dispute among the Maharaja’s heirs and requested a no-objection certificate from the Rajasthan government.

Opposing the plea, the Centre contended that the Maharaja was not the owner of Bikaner House at the time of its occupation and characterised the 1951 agreement as merely ex gratia. The Centre described the ex gratia amount as relatively small, around Rs 6 lakhs.

Justice Datta, presiding over the case, noted that ex gratia payments are a moral obligation rather than a legal one.

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