Rent for Bikaner House: Royal heirs move Delhi HC

JAIPUR: The estate of the late Karni Singh, the last royal to hold the title of Maharaja of Bikaner, approached the Delhi High Court Tuesday seeking unpaid rent from the Union govt for the use of Bikaner House, a heritage property in Delhi, between 1991 and 2014.
The court asked both the petitioner and Union govt to submit relevant documents regarding the dispute, including records from a separate case filed by the Rajasthan govt related to the same property. The matter will now be heard on July 17.

A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela was hearing an appeal challenging a previous order by a single judge, who dismissed the petition on Feb 24, following which an appeal was filed by the estate.
The original petition before the single bench of the Delhi High Court was moved by his daughter, claiming rent arrears from the Union govt for its continued occupation of Bikaner House after her father's death in 1991.
Sriharsha Peechara, one of the lawyers appearing for the appellant, told TOI that the single judge had failed to consider important documents and that the dismissal was legally flawed. The counsels also argued that the state was allegedly withholding the money due unjustly.
The court maintained that the matter required further documentation and instructed the petitioner to submit the same and provide a copy of the appeal to the Rajasthan govt to represent the state.
In the earlier order, the single judge had held that the petitioner did not have any legal right over the Bikaner House property, nor could she prove any entitlement to rent arrears from the Centre.
He further noted that the daughter's claim relied heavily on a 1951 communication that referred to onethird share as an “ex gratia” payment. The court held that such payments are discretionary and cannot be legally enforced, stating that a party cannot claim entitlement to ex gratia except in cases of binding legal agreements.