Updated on Monday, January 12, 2009, 00:00 IST

New Delhi, Jan 12: Delhi High Court on Monday refused to impose an immediate stay on allotment of flats under DDA's recent draw while hearing a petition which sought quashing of the process due to alleged irregularities committed by the housing body.

The court, however, sought the housing body's response by March 16 on a petition filed by Prem Chand alleging that the DDA had illegally allowed applicants under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category from other states to participate in the draw.

Issuing a notice to DDA, Justice Hima Kohli directed the DDA to file its response by March 16 and rejected his plea for immediate stay on the allotment of flats stating that the petitioner should have raised this issue soon after DDA had accepted the forms in the month of August itself.

According to the petitioner, under the DDA Act the housing body is not entitled to accept the applications filed by the people who were residents of states other than Delhi.

Seeking an immediate direction staying the recently held draw, the petitioner's counsel submitted before the court that the forms from outside Delhi specially from state of Rajasthan were accepted with an ulterior motive.

Last month, the DDA held the draw for allotment of 5000 flats under the housing scheme but later a complaint was registered accusing it of committing irregularities during the draw.

The Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police's Crime Branch has started probing following the complaint about the alleged irregularities in the draw.

So far, two persons, including Laxmi Narayan Meena (54) who is a former SBI employee, and a resident of Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu, have been arrested.

Bureau Report