After nearly two months of delay, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has got permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs to seek the Solicitor-General’s opinion on the longstanding Taj Mansingh issue. NDMC Chairman Jalaj Shrivastava said that he will approach the Solicitor-General by Friday.
He said NDMC has received an approval from the Home Ministry that it can approach SG for an opinion on their own. Usually, such a legal opinion is sought by NDMC through its nodal ministry which is Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Ministry had in July served show-cause notice to NDMC on why the Council had delayed the auction process of the hotel for two years. It had also pulled up NDMC for approaching the Solicitor-General and giving the first right of refusal to Taj Group.
While the NDMC had asked for more time to reply to the show-cause notice, it had also written that considering it was a Council decision to seek Solicitor General’s opinion, it should be allowed to do so.
The Taj Group’s lease agreement to run the property at Mansingh Road ends in October after two extensions.