Decide on Sainik Farm’s fate in 2 months: Delhi High Court tells authorities

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday (August 18, 2026) directed the Centre and Delhi authorities to make a decision on the regularisation of the Sainik Farm colony in South Delhi within two months.

A Bench consisting of Chief Justice D.K. According to Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, while the constructions in Sainik Farm were illegal, the authorities should now work on finding a feasible solution.

“You can charge development charges. You can save certain kinds of constructions. You can come out with a scheme where certain construction may be required to be demolished. Conduct a survey, prepare a plan. Try to save as much as can be saved,” the court orally remarked.

The Bench directed officials from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Delhi administration, the Delhi Development Authority and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to meet and deliberate on the issue in accordance with the court’s August 13, 2025, order.

Further Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Centre, submitted that the government could take a comprehensive view only after the Master Plan for Delhi (MPD) 2047, prepared by the DDA, is approved by the Centre and formally notified.

The Court accordingly directed the concerned authorities to complete the exercise within two months and listed the matter for further hearing in November.

The directions came while the court was hearing a batch of petitions seeking regularisation of Sainik Farm.

In its August 13, 2025, order, the High Court had asked the Centre and the Delhi authorities to jointly consider the problem and make an effort to address the worries raised in the petitions.

The Centre had earlier sought continuation of the status quo in Sainik Farm, describing it as an affluent colony.

The issue has been pending before the High Court for a number of years. While hearing a plea by Ramesh Dugar, convener of the area development committee at Sainik Farm, seeking regularisation of the colony, the court had observed that it was “high time” the issue was resolved once and for all.

It had then stated the authorities could not keep the issue pending indefinitely and that a final decision on the colony’s status had to be taken.

, in April 2022.