The Delhi High Court has expressed discontent towards the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), and the Land & Development Office (L&DO) regarding the delay in establishing a policy for the conversion of properties from leasehold to freehold. The court has granted these authorities a “final opportunity” to present the completed policy at least three days prior to the next hearing scheduled for September 28.
A bench comprising Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan emphasized that “numerous citizens” should not be subjected to indefinite waiting periods.
The court, indicating its dissatisfaction with the progress since its last order, referred to the minutes from a meeting among the authorities, which revealed a lack of clarity regarding any policy. The High Court instructed the secretary of MoHUA’s capital development department and the vice-chairman of the DDA to participate in the proceedings at the next hearing. The bench was addressing cases related to complaints about the DDA’s portal for leasehold-to-freehold property conversions, which has been non-operational since February 2026. The High Court clarified that any new policy must be implemented prospectively. It highlighted that numerous applications remain pending, even though the DDA has collected conversion charges, as the processing of applications is hindered by the portal’s downtime.
In reference to a prior order, the court noted that 1,373 applications are still pending, with the DDA having collected Rs 155.1 crore in conversion fees. It mandated that all such applications be processed according to the policy that was in effect at the time of payment.
On August 14, officials from MoHUA, DDA, L&DO, and the revenue department convened to discuss related matters, including the simplification of documentation, the reduction of procedural steps, and the reassessment of conversion charges.
