The Moradabad administration on Friday issued a notice to the district Samajwadi Party office to vacate the building in 30 days, else the government would take it over forcibly.
The premise was allotted to SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav for ₹250 a month 31 years ago.
Anuj Singh, the district magistrate of Moradabad, said: “This (state) property was allotted to the SP founder on July 13, 1994, on a rent of ₹250 per month, but they were using it as a party office. This building belongs to the Moradabad Nagar Nigam and they need it back for some government offices.”
According to estimates, the market value of the 1,000sqmt premise is ₹4 crore. Identified in government records as House No. 4 near Police Training College, it was given to Mulayam even though he was the chief minister of the state and had a government house in Lucknow.
“They didn’t move an application to change the name of the allottee after the death of the person in whose name it was originally allotted. We have served a notice on the district president of the SP to vacate it within 30 days. The process to take over the building will start after the notice period is over,” he added.
Mulayam passed away on October 10, 2022. His son and former chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav, is now the SP president. Jayveer Singh Yadav, district president of the party, told reporters: “We didn’t receive any eviction notice from the local administration. Like any other political party, we also have our office here in the city. I heard about the order from the media.
“Will the government ask all political parties to vacate their offices? Can they inquire where the BJP district office is located and ask them to vacate if it is on government land? They have violated rules and conspired to take over the premises forcibly,” he said.