New Delhi: After being asked to move out of the National Herald Premises, the Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) challenged the Delhi high court’s judgment and appealed to the Supreme Court against the decision taken by the Centre's Land and Development office.

The AJL was accused of being in violation of the lease agreement and of not printing any newspapers in recent times.

The AJL was initiated in the year 1937 by the Indian National Congress to promulgate their values and ideals. The paper has been in circulation from their premises in Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg from the year 1967.

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It is believed that the Centre's eviction notice is a political agenda and AJL had been called out for using the Herald House for commercial activities. However, it is being done by most lease holders on the same road and they have all been offering parts of their plots for rent.

The AJL also said that issues like the 90 crore loan offered by the Indian National Congress to Young Indian was being looked into by the high court. The subsequent share transfer to Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, executive committee member of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation Suman Dubey and policymaker Sam Pitroda are being looked into.

This has also led to comments which have cited the above action as being against the law. It is also considered as an act that was aimed at furtively transferring interest to Young Indian from Herald.

While calling the move by the high court uncalled for and defective, the AJL clearly stated that it has no relevance to the lease agreement. It also stated that the court could not take into consideration the alleged findings without any official statements in the writ petition submitted.

The high court and the Centre's Land and Development office came to an erroneous conclusion by considering claims of lack of "Press Activity" in the premises. The term itself, AJL said must be considered in present-day terms and not in an out-dated definition.