"Will fight our case in both legal, political way": Himachal CM Sukhu after HC stays takeover of Hotel Wildflower Hall

Speaking to ANI, Chief Minister Sukhu said, "It is the duty of the state government that the state's property is not harmed. We have been fighting the case for 22 years. The Court had given a decision in our favour. Yesterday morning, we took over its possessions. After that, the court held a hearing and stayed our adjudication order."

After the Himachal Pradesh High Court stayed the takeover of Hotel Wildflower Hall by the state government, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday said that the matter will be fought both in a legal and political way. Speaking to ANI, Chief Minister Sukhu said, "It is the duty of the state government that the state's property is not harmed. We have been fighting the case for 22 years. The Court had given a decision in our favour. Yesterday morning, we took over its possessions. After that, the court held a hearing and stayed our adjudication order."

Stating that the Himachal Pradesh government did not get the money from the lease agreement signed with the hotel, Sukhu said, "We will fight this in both a legal and political way. A loss will be done to the bookings of the guests that are staying at Hotel Wildflower Hall. This is state property. We did not get the money for the lease. When we have an agreement, then it is our right." Earlier hours after the state government's action had taken over the Hotel Wildflower Hall, the Himachal Pradesh High Court asked it not to interfere in the property of EIH's Hotel Wildflower Hall located at Chhabra in the periphery of Shimla city until the execution order was given by the court.

The High Court stayed further execution of the order issued by it on Friday following a petition and said "the respondent state shall not interfere in the day-to-day management and possession of the hotel." In October last year, the High Court dismissed an appeal filed by EIH Ltd (East India Hotel Ltd) and others against the State of HP and others in a dispute pertaining to Hotel Wildflower Hall.

Wildflower Hall was owned by Lord Kitchener. Hotel Wildflower Hall was being run as a hotel by HP Tourism Development Corporation but a fire gutted it in 1993. Officials said it was handed over to EIH Ltd, the flagship company of the Oberoi Group, for being run by way of a joint venture but the government terminated the agreement in 2002.

The two parties have been engaged in long litigation. (ANI)

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