New Delhi, June 16
Regional parties like the SAD and the INLD would have only 500 sqm in an institutional area in the Capital for its office following the Union Cabinet’s decision today.

Political parties, which are occupying government bungalows, would be evicted from their prime locations in Luyten’s Delhi and given plots on the basis of the number of MPs they have in Parliament.

The Cabinet decision is likely to mostly affect regional parties of smaller states. Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir have less than 15 parliamentary seats.

Given the situation, even a complete sweep in the Lok Sabha poll would not result in these parties staking claim to a bigger political office.

Under the new policy approved by the Cabinet today, major national political parties like the Congress and the BJP, which have more than 201 MPs, will get four acres of plot each while smaller state parties having less than four MPs would have to be satisfied with an office in VP House.

To get land allotted for constructing an office, the national/state party recognised by the Election Commission should have a minimum of seven MPs in both Houses.

The parties will most probably be given land in the R.K. Puram, Mehrauli and Badarpur areas, Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy said. The allotment of plots would be done within the next two months.

Briefing newspersons, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the policy for allotment of land was “uniform and rational.”

He said the policy was decided in view of the Supreme Court’s directive to these parties to vacate government bungalows.

Parties having seven to 15 MPs would get 500 sqm at institutional price. Those having 16 to 25 MPs would be allotted 1,000 sqm while parties having 26 to 50 MPs would be given 2,000 sqm.

Parties with 51 to 100 MPs would get an acre while those national parties having 101 to 200 MPs would get two acres and a party having more than 201 MPs would get four acres.