Cabinet to decide on repealing Delhi Hotels Act

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet is likely to take a call tomorrow on repealing an archaic law which empowers the government to force bookings in hotels in the national capital.

The Cabinet is expected to decide to repeal the Administration of Delhi Hotels (Control of Accommodation Act) 1949 which allowed the Urban Development Ministry to force hotels to provide rooms to it when demanded.

Sources said as per the proposal the law needed to be junked as there is no need for it now since the government has sufficient number of accommodations in the city like state guset houses.

Also, following proliferation of guest houses and economy hotels, booking a room is not difficult now.

The law was enacted when there was a shortage of government accomodation in the city. It helped the Directorate of Estate to force hotels provide accommodation to government employees.