On 20 March 2026, the office of United News of India (UNI) at 9 Rafi Marg, New Delhi, was sealed by authorities following a Delhi High Court order. The court dismissed UNI’s challenge to the cancellation of its land allotment and directed immediate possession of the property. The action was carried out hours after the judgment, resulting in the eviction of UNI staff from the premises.
According to The Indian Express, the High Court found that UNI had failed to fulfill its obligations under the land allotment terms, which required construction of a composite building with the Press Council of India within two years of the 2000 allotment letter. The court noted that UNI’s continued occupation of the land, valued at approximately Rs 409 crore, was not justified given decades of non-performance.
As reported by Bar and Bench, Justice Sachin Datta dismissed UNI’s petition and ordered authorities to take immediate possession of the property. The court observed that the land, allotted in 1979 for a media office complex, remained undeveloped for over 45 years despite multiple revised allotment letters and involvement of co-allottees such as the Press Council of India.
During the sealing operation, UNI staff members were reportedly evicted, with some alleging they were not allowed to retrieve personal belongings. Further details indicate that UNI’s management had changed in February 2025, when The Statesman Ltd took over following insolvency proceedings. The new management expressed willingness to raise funds for construction, but the court ruled that decades of non-performance could not be remedied retroactively.
The court’s order emphasised that public land cannot be held by a licensee who fails to meet the conditions of allotment. Analysis showed that UNI’s arguments attributing delays to government agencies were rejected, with the court stating, “The attempt on the part of the Petitioner to shift the blame for its non-performance onto other entities such as CPWD and NBCC is a disingenuous afterthought that does not withstand scrutiny.”
“This Court finds no merit whatsoever in the present petition, and the same is, accordingly, dismissed. All interim orders stand vacated. The concerned official/s of the respondent/s are directed to immediately take possession of the land/property in question and ensure that the same is utilized in accordance with law,” the order stated.
UNI’s original allotment was for a composite office complex intended to house multiple media organisations. Over the years, the terms were revised, but no construction was completed. Coverage revealed that by 2022, UNI was facing severe financial distress and had requested permission to lease out a portion of the proposed building, which was denied by authorities.
By the time of the eviction, the Press Council of India had been allotted a larger share of the land, and disputes between PCI and UNI over construction and land use persisted. Reporting indicated that allegations of unauthorised construction by UNI were confirmed by inspections, further supporting the government’s case for cancellation and eviction.
The High Court directed the Land and Development Office to enforce conditional allotments of public land with diligence and to ensure that such assets are used strictly for their intended institutional purposes. The government was instructed to remain vigilant and address any breaches promptly as details emerged.
“Public land cannot be allowed to be held hostage by a defaulting licensee who has failed to fulfil the very object for which the licence was granted,” the court observed.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.