Bill in Rajya Sabha to repeal law on control over hotels in Delhi

NEW DELHI: A bill seeking to repeal an old law providing for the government control of certain percentage of accommodation in hotels in Delhi was today introduced in Rajya Sabha.

Minister of State for Urban Development Deepa Dasmunshi introduced the Delhi Hotels (Control of Accommodation) Repeal Bill, 2014 that seeks to repeal the Delhi Hotels (Control of Accommodation) Act, 1949.

The law was enacted when there was shortage of government accomodation in the city and it empowered the Directorate of Estate to force hotels to provide accommodation to government employees.

"The Act was operational in the initial years of independent India and as the Government constructed or owned more hotels and guest houses, the requirement of the Act progressively declined," the statement of objects and reasons of the bill said.

It empowered the Director of Estates to secure accommodation not exceeding 25 per cent of the total accommodation in hotels by passing a written order.

Noting that the present utility of the Act has been examined keeping in view the availability of regular or transit or guest accommodation of MPs and officials of the government, it said, "At present, the provisions of the Act are not invoked by the Director of Estates.

"The arrangement for the transit accommodation for the newly elected MPs is made in State Guest Houses and India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) hotels only. Therefore, it is proposed to repeal the Delhi Hotels (Control of Accommodation), Act, 1949."