Delhi's circle rate: SC issues notice to Delhi government on Central Government's appeal

New Delhi [India], Jan. 9 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Delhi government on the plea of the central government in connection with the circle rate issue in the national capital. The Central government has challenged the Delhi High Court order on circle rate issue in the apex court. The Delhi High Court had in August 2015, refused to stay a Delhi government's notification that tripled circle rates of agricultural land in the national capital. Refusing to pass an interim order to stay the notification, saying it would hear the Delhi government's stand before passing any order, the court had asked the Delhi government to file its response by September 23, 2015 and also apprise it whether the notification could be issued without the Lieutenant Governor'sapproval. The Delhi government had on August 2016 issued a notification in which circle rates of agricultural lands were revised. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has fixed the new rates in the range of Rs 1 crore to Rs 3.5 crore per acre from the earlier Rs 53 lakh per acre. However, the former Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung stayed the notification followed by a resolution passed by the Delhi government against the Lieutenant Governor's stay. In a latest development, the Delhi government has in January this year formed a committee to rationalise and review discrepancies in circle rates, keeping fall in property rate post demonetisation in view.(ANI)