Feisty l-G fights back on circle rates

In yet another blow to the Arvind Kejriwal Government, lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung on Friday issued a fresh and stern order, reiterating the stand that circle rates should not be implemented as due procedure and due diligence was not shown. All 33 sub registrar offices have been forwarded both the decisions - Cabinet resolution and l-G's dictate. On Thursday, the Delhi Cabinet had passed a resolution against the l-G's stay on increasing circle rates on agriculture land and asked officials not to follow his order. 

When asked, a sub registrar said on the condition of anonymity that they are avoiding registry due to ongoing tussle on circle rates. "There are lots of clauses in the Act which may delay the registration of property," he added. The latest development has intensified further the ongoing tussle between the l-G and the Arvind Kejriwal Government. 

The CM on Friday said, "Due to the Government's notification, people, who were involved in agriculture land fraud and buying the land through black money, are now losing their business."On the other hand, the l-G in its order stated that the notification prima facie is bad in law since it pertains to 'land' which is a 'Reserved Subject', coming under the domain of the central government. 

"Moreover, the notification contains inherent inconsistencies.  Rates have been fixed for land that would come under the land Pooling Policy. This policy has not yet become operational because villages that will be covered under the policy have not yet been declared 'urban' by Delhi Government. Therefore, it could be incorrect to fix the rates on such land till the land Pooling Policy becomes operational. Secondly, the notification does not fix the minimum price for land situated within the river bed. This has always been done in the past," the lieutenant Governor's order said.

Kejriwal has justified the decision to raise the circle rates of agriculture land, saying that it will help the Government curb black money in land deals. He also said there was a huge difference between market and circle rates on agriculture land in Delhi, but after this notification, their circle rate is now equivalent to market rate. 

"Before the notification, there was huge difference between market rate and circle rate. For instance, market rate was `4 crore per acre, but circle rate was just `53 lakh for agriculture land. With this, we have now equalled circle rate to market rate due to which the fraud in land deal has stopped," the Chief Minister said.