New Delhi, March 25, 2026 — In a move that could mark the end of the Indian National Congress's decades-long presence in the elite Lutyens' Delhi enclave, the party has received final eviction notices from the Estate Department directing it to vacate its iconic headquarters at 24, Akbar Road and the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) office at 5, Raisina Road by Saturday, March 28.
The notices, dated March 13 and received by the party in recent days, have triggered immediate plans for legal recourse, with senior Congress leaders describing the action as "illegal and politically motivated." The development comes nearly 14 months after the party inaugurated its new headquarters, Indira Bhawan (also referred to as Indira Gandhi Bhawan) at 9A Kotla Road, raising questions about the timing and enforcement of long-standing government policies on political party accommodations.
# A Landmark Address with Deep Historical Roots
The 24 Akbar Road bungalow has served as the nerve centre of Congress politics for nearly five decades, since the party took possession in 1978 following its electoral defeat in 1977 and the subsequent split. It was offered by Rajya Sabha MP G. Venkatswamy, a loyalist of Indira Gandhi, and quickly became the hub for the party's revival. The premises expanded over the years to accommodate growing needs and played host to key decisions under leaders including Rajiv Gandhi, P.V. Narasimha Rao, and Manmohan Singh.
Before its political reincarnation, the property had colonial-era significance as the residence of Sir Reginald Maxwell, a member of Viceroy Lord Linlithgow's Executive Council. In the early 1960s, it housed Daw Khin Kyi, Myanmar's Ambassador to India, and her daughter, Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent part of her childhood there.
The adjacent 5 Raisina Road bungalow was allotted to the Congress for its youth wing, the IYC. Both properties are Type-VIII bungalows in prime central Delhi locations, symbolising the party's entrenched presence in the national capital's power corridor.
Congress functionaries have expressed strong emotional attachment to the Akbar Road address. When Sonia Gandhi inaugurated Indira Bhawan in January 2025, veterans highlighted its legacy as "part of our story." A senior party manager was quoted saying the party wished to retain both addresses for their historical and symbolic value.
# Policy-Driven Eviction: The 2006 L&DO Guidelines
The eviction stems from a July 2006 policy framed by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. It applies to national political parties recognised by the Election Commission (and certain state parties) and allows allotment of land on lease for constructing dedicated offices. Parties are required to pay a premium and annual ground rent, with the land remaining non-convertible to freehold.
Crucially, once a party takes possession of the new plot, it must vacate all previously allotted government bungalows within three years—or immediately upon completion of the new building, whichever is earlier. Non-compliance can lead to cancellation of allotments and eviction proceedings.
Congress was allotted land on Deendayal Upadhyay Marg (Kotla Road area) around 2007-2009, with foundation stone laid in 2009. Construction culminated in the issuance of the Completion cum Occupancy Certificate on January 14, 2025, followed by formal inauguration the next day by Sonia Gandhi, in the presence of party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and other senior leaders.
Records accessed via RTI show that allotments for three bungalows—5 Raisina Road, 24 Akbar Road, and 26 Akbar Road (which housed the Seva Dal)—were formally cancelled on June 26, 2013. The Congress vacated 26 Akbar Road but continued occupying the other two, reportedly paying market rent. Government sources emphasise that the move enforces uniform rules applicable to all parties, noting similar past delays by the BJP with its former office at 11 Ashoka Road (allotment cancelled in 2017; vacated fully in 2024).
In 2022, then Union Housing Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had stated that evictions for parties with new allotments were "in process" and would apply across the board.
# Congress's Legal Pushback and Political Fallout
Congress sources confirmed the party is actively exploring legal avenues, including seeking a stay on the eviction. Senior Congress MP and lawyer Abhishek Singhvi termed the notices "illegal and politically motivated" and vowed that "all legal recourses would be taken."
The party has partially shifted operations to Indira Bhawan but continues some activities from Akbar Road. An earlier post-2024 election attempt to allot the Akbar Road bungalow to a senior Congress MP reportedly did not materialise.
The eviction, if enforced, would end the Congress's iconic footprint in Lutyens' Delhi, shifting it fully to the new, modern facility designed as a "temple of democracy" with state-of-the-art infrastructure. Party leaders view the old offices as integral to its 140-year legacy.
As of Tuesday evening, no formal government statement beyond the notices was available, though officials have framed the action as routine administrative enforcement of the 2006 policy. The tight three-day deadline—leaving the party with minimal time to comply or relocate assets—has intensified speculation of a political flashpoint ahead of various state polls and the broader opposition-government tussle.
With March 28 looming, all eyes are on whether the Congress secures judicial intervention or begins the physical handover of these hallowed premises that have witnessed the party's highs, lows, and rebirths over nearly half a century. The episode underscores the evolving dynamics of government-allotted properties for political parties in India's capital.
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