The Delhi High Court has ordered the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to process all pending applications for conversion of leasehold property to freehold within two months, after the agency has already collected Rs 155.06 crore from residents.
In its order, the bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan stressed that while the pending applications should be dealt with under the existing policy, a new policy for future conversions should be drafted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the DDA. The court noted that it has repeatedly urged the authorities to address the difficulties faced by Delhi residents in obtaining freehold status.
The court found the ministry’s claim that a four‑month period would be needed to finalize a conversion policy unacceptable, as it would postpone decisions until December 2026 or January 2027, effectively keeping the city in a state of standstill. It cited earlier orders from July 2026 that showed no progress on the policy and criticised MoHUA’s affidavit for lacking a concrete timeline.
The matter also involves the non‑functioning of the DDA’s IDLI portal, which has been offline since January 2, preventing new applications. The court recorded that 1,373 applications filed between 2020 and 2026 remain pending, 308 have received approval but no conveyance deeds have been executed. A further hearing is scheduled for December 11, and the MoHUA secretary and DDA vice‑chairman are required to attend.
