Delhi High Court criticizes delay in property conversion policy

The Delhi High Court has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the delay in finalizing a policy for converting commercial properties from leasehold to freehold. A division bench comprising Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan stated that “scores of citizens cannot be made to wait” for these conversions.

The court noted that despite previous directions, there remains “no clarity on any policy whatsoever” regarding documentation or conversion charges. The issue stems from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) portal, which has been offline since February 2026, leaving numerous applications on hold.

In response, the court has granted the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), the DDA, and the Land & Development Office (L&DO) a “last and final opportunity” to submit their final policy at least three days before the next hearing on September 28. The Secretary of the Department of Capital Development and the DDA Vice Chairman have been directed to attend the proceedings.