Indian Congress Ordered to Vacate Headquarters and Youth Offices

The Indian government has issued eviction notices to the Indian National Congress, instructing the party to vacate its office located at 24 Akbar Road in New Delhi, as well as the Youth Congress premises at 5 Raisina Road. These notices were served by the Estate Department under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and stipulate that the Congress party must leave by 28 March 2026.

According to informed sources, the notices were dispatched in mid-March, representing the final warning issued to the party regarding its occupancy. The government has asserted that the Congress has already established its new headquarters at Indira Bhavan on Kotla Road, thereby implying it is no longer entitled to retain the premises at 24 Akbar Road.

The office at 24 Akbar Road has been the main base for the Congress party for nearly half a century, having been established in January 1978 following a significant split in the party under the leadership of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Congress sources indicate that the party is currently deliberating on how to respond to the eviction notices and has not ruled out the possibility of pursuing legal action.

A delegation from the Congress, led by G.S. Sappal, the party's administration head, recently met with Urban Development Minister M.L. Khattar to discuss the eviction notices. Party insiders claim they have been paying market rent for the premises at 24 Akbar Road and that there were attempts to secure the property for a party Member of Parliament. However, these efforts have not yielded results.

The Congress has previously indicated that it intends to maintain its operations at 24 Akbar Road, even after relocating to Indira Bhavan, citing that similar norms should apply across the board. The party has referred to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has yet to vacate its older headquarters at 11 Ashoka Road, despite relocating to a new space on DDU Marg.

Reacting to the eviction orders, Congress Member of Parliament Karti Chidambaram emphasised the need for the government to apply its rules consistently rather than singling out the Congress party. In contrast, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla argued that the Congress should relinquish what he termed the "sense of entitlement" and stop adopting an approach of victimisation. Poonawalla also drew attention to a long-standing policy that mandated political parties to relocate their offices from central Lutyens' Delhi to areas like DDU Marg or Rouse Avenue.

The history of the Congress office at 24 Akbar Road underscores the significance of this site, which served as a central location for the party's operations following a tumultuous period in Indian politics. The initial headquarters on 7 Jantar Mantar Road was lost to a faction during a split in 1969, leading the Congress to occupy various premises until establishing its current base.

The upcoming deadline for the Congress party to vacate raises various political implications as the situation develops in the lead-up to the deadline. The party’s response may play a critical role in the narrative surrounding its ongoing challenges within the political landscape of India.