NEW DELHI: The High Court rejected a petition by Maharaja Dr. Karni Singh’s heirs seeking rental arrears from the Central government for Bikaner House in Delhi between 1991 and 2014. The heirs claimed that under a 1951 agreement, the government had been paying rent but ceased payments after the Maharaja’s demise in 1988.
Justice Sachin Datta ruled that the petitioners failed to establish any legal right over the property or the alleged arrears, emphasising that the payments were ex gratia and not legally enforceable. The Court noted that while the government had paid rent to the Maharaja during his lifetime, his heirs could not claim continued payments as a right.
Advocate Sriharsha Peechara, argued that until 1991, one-third of the rent was paid to the Maharaja Karni Singh and two-thirds to the Rajasthan government. However, following the Maharaja’s demise in 1988, rent payments were halted, allegedly due to an internal property dispute among the heirs and the requirement of a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Rajasthan government. The heirs cited official communications acknowledging arrears, claiming the government never disputed their entitlement.
The Central government countered that Maharaja was never the legal owner of Bikaner House, and the 1951 agreement was discretionary. It dismissed the claim, stating the ex gratia amount was minimal. Bikaner House, built in 1922, has been at the center of legal disputes post-independence. Ultimately, the High Court dismissed the heirs’ petition ruling they had no legal claim to continued ex gratia payments.
Legal disputes
Bikaner House, built in 1922, has been at the center of legal disputes post-independence. The SC granted its possession to Rajasthan in ‘14. A Delhi trial court ordered its attachment in ‘24 over unpaid arbitral dues but later put the order on hold.