4 days ago
Delhi High Court Orders DDA to Process Freehold Applications
Some people in Delhi want to change their property papers from leasehold to freehold.
Many applications have not been decided, even though residents have already paid fees.
The Delhi High Court told the Delhi Development Authority, or DDA, to deal with the pending applications within two months.
The DDA had collected Rs 155.06 crore in fees.
The court said a website used to submit applications had not been working since January 2.
The court also said a new policy could be made for future applications.
The housing ministry had said it needed time to prepare that policy, but the court said waiting longer would leave the process stalled.
Senior officials from the ministry and DDA must attend the next hearing on December 11.
The Delhi High Court directed the DDA to process pending leasehold-to-freehold conversion applications within two months.
The court said the directive covers applications for which residents have already paid conversion charges.
The DDA had 1,373 pending applications filed between 2020 and 2026 and had collected Rs 155.06 crore in charges.
The DDA’s IDLI portal had been unavailable since January 2, preventing property owners from submitting applications.
The court asked the MoHUA secretary and DDA vice-chairman to attend the next hearing on December 11.
- Who
- The Delhi High Court, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), and Delhi property owners.
- What
- The court directed the DDA to process pending leasehold-to-freehold conversion applications within two months.
- Where
- Delhi, India.
- When
- The order was passed on September 28; the next hearing is scheduled for December 11. The report is dated October 3.
- Why
- Applications had not been processed, the DDA's IDLI portal was unavailable, and residents faced delays despite paying conversion charges.
Court’s position
Ministry and DDA’s stated position
Timeline for action
Court’s position
The court said a further wait for a policy would leave property conversions stalled and ordered the DDA to process pending applications within two months.
Ministry and DDA’s stated position
A MoHUA secretary told the court that the ministry and DDA would need four months to finalise a policy, with two months being the shortest possible period.
Policy for future applications
Court’s position
The court said pending applications should be processed under the prevalent policy and that it had already given authorities sufficient opportunity to address the matter.
Ministry and DDA’s stated position
MoHUA and the DDA said they needed time to finalise a policy for property conversions.
Key facts
- Pending applications
- 1,373 applications filed between 2020 and 2026
- Conversion charges collected
- Rs 155.06 crore
- Court-ordered deadline
- Process pending applications within two months
- Applications approved
- 308; conveyance deeds had not been executed
- IDLI portal
- Reportedly unavailable since January 2
- Order date
- September 28
- Next hearing
- December 11
Quotes
Delhi High Court bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan
The two-judge bench hearing petitions about delayed property-conversion applications.
“Various orders passed by this court from July 3, 2026 onwards would show that for at least six months the conversion policy was not looked into at all. Further, despite the orders that have been passed by this court from July 3 onwards, there is no progress whatsoever.”
theprint.in
“This situation is further compounded in respect of those property owners who have already filed the applications and paid the then prevalent conversion charges, and are now awaiting a decision from the DDA.”
theprint.in
Sources
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