Gurgaon: A long-standing dispute over which law applies to DLF 1 to 5 came up for detailed discussion on Monday. The department of town and country planning (DTCP) — in compliance with a Nov 26, 2025 order of Punjab and Haryana high court — held a public hearing to address residents’ objections on jurisdiction. The hearing saw the participation of over 100 residents.At the end of the hearing, DTCP said all violations flagged in DLF 1-5 relate to licence conditions under the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas (HDRUA) Act, 1975, making its actions legally valid. Residents were allowed to submit objections and officials said a common speaking order would be issued and submitted to HC as a status report in the coming days.Many residents argued that since the entire DLF area falls under MCG, the Town and Country Planning Act, 1963 should apply and not the HDRUA Act, 1975. They claimed that once an area comes under the civic body, the DTCP loses its authority to take enforcement action. Residents also pointed out that building plans and occupancy certificates (OCs) are issued under the 1963 Act, strengthening their view that the planning department has no jurisdiction.Responding to these concerns, DTCP enforcement officials explained that their powers in licensed colonies flow from the 1975 Act, not the 1963 law. They said DLF 1-5 were developed as a licensed area, where permissions for carving out residential plots, approving zoning layout plans and defining land use are granted under Section 3 of the 1975 Act. These licence conditions, officials said, continue to apply even if the colony later falls within municipal limits.Officials said that while independent house plans are approved under the Haryana Building Code, 2017, through a self-certification system, this doesn’t dilute DTCP’s authority. Under this system, architects approve building plans and issue OCs. However, if any violation is later found in these approvals, it is treated as a breach of licence conditions under the 1975 Act. In such cases, action can be taken under Section 3-B by the director, town and country planning, or an authorised officer.
