The Akbar Road bungalow has served as the Congress headquarters for nearly 48 years. Although the party inaugurated its new headquarters, Indira Bhavan, last year, it has continued to operate from the older premises.
Along with the Raisina Road premises, the properties have been a major part of party coordination and decision-making in Delhi.
Estate Department has given a notice to Congress party to vacate the office allotted to them, 24 Akbar Road, by March 28: Congress sources
— ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2026
A senior party leader said the notices were received recently, leaving limited time to respond. Congress leaders indicated they were exploring legal options and may approach the court to seek relief or delay any eviction.
“We are examining all legal avenues. This time, the government appears more aggressive,” a leader familiar with the matter told India Today.
The party is also considering administrative options, including seeking a short extension to reorganise the allotment.
One proposal under discussion is to have the bungalow allotted in the name of a senior Rajya Sabha member, which could allow continued use. This would require quick legal and political steps before the deadline.
Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi criticised the decision. He called it ‘illegal and politically motivated,’ and said the party would challenge it legally, as per a Times of India report.
“The BJP government is not a democratic govt. It is unfortunate. Let the notice reach us. We will act on it after holding discussions,” Congress MP Pramod Tiwari told ANI.
Party functionaries said the Congress had been paying market rent for the Akbar Road bungalow. They also said attempts were made after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to have the property allotted to a senior MP, but these did not succeed.
The party MP Imran Masood said,” The govt thinks it can silence the Congress by creating pressure on us. They should not try to scare us. Have they got the BJP office at 11, Ashok Road or at Pant Marg?…Because they have not been able to do anything regarding the Iran war, they are trying to deflect attention from this issue…”
The Akbar Road address holds historical importance. During the colonial period, the bungalow housed Sir Reginald Maxwell, a member of Lord Linlithgow’s Executive Council.
In the early 1960s, it was the residence of Daw Khin Kyi, Myanmar’s ambassador to India. Her daughter, Aung San Suu Kyi, spent part of her early years there.
The property became significant in the late 1970s after the Congress split following its 1977 election defeat.
Indira Gandhi used the bungalow as the base for her faction, which later led the party’s revival. It remained the Congress headquarters through the tenures of Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao, and Manmohan Singh.
