The Delhi High Court sought responses from the Delhi Government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, run by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), to a petition requesting that authorities take action against properties that operate reading rooms, libraries, and self-study centres in basements without approved layout plan on Tuesday, October 10.
A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula issued notice to the Delhi government, MCD, and Delhi Fire Services and requested status reports from them, as per a report by PTI.
The court scheduled a hearing on the subject for December 20.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleged that authorities failed to provide information on the number of reading rooms, self-study centres, or libraries operating in basements in New Delhi's Karol Bagh, Old Rajinder Nagar, New Rajinder Nagar, West Patel Nagar, South Patel Nagar, and Ranjit Nagar.
Petitioner Amrik Singh Babbar asked the MCD to seal premises where illegal reading rooms, self-study centres, and libraries are operating in the basement without a civic body-approved layout plan.
According to the petition, over 80 students self-study in these centres at the same time, and there is only one entry and exit gate.
The petitioner also claimed that he requested authorities to take appropriate action against these properties.
