New Delhi, Feb 28 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has dismissed a plea by the heirs of late Bikaner ruler Dr Karni Singh seeking arrears of rent from the Centre for Bikaner House.

Justice Sachin Datta said the Rajasthan government undisputedly held the "full and absolute rights" over Bikaner House and the petitioner "Estate of late Maharaja Dr Karni Singh" failed to establish any legal right over the property and any claim to "arrears of rent" from the Centre.

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The petitioner, while seeking arrears from 1991 to 2014, argued when Bikaner House -- developed by the predecessor to Dr Karni Singh between 1922 and 1949, was taken over, a communication was sent by the Government of India in 1951 that one-third rent from the property would be released to the Maharaja's Estate.

However, the Centre stopped the payments post Singh's death in 1991, said the petitioner, comprising Singh's daughter.

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In the judgement passed on February 24, the court said the payment by the Centre was on an ex-gratia basis which couldn't be claimed as an entitlement, and the Centre vacated the property in 2014 after an order of the Supreme Court on a suit by the state of Rajasthan for the possession of Bikaner House.

"After the death of Dr Karni Singh, his heirs cannot claim these payments as a matter of legal right," the court ruled.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)