New Delhi, Feb 16 : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has filed an application before the Supreme Court saying that it has not encroached on the land allotted to the Delhi High Court and the premises was officially allotted to it by the Delhi government in May 2015.

The application said that such allotment of office space for official party work is an essential element of public funding of elections in India and is designed to level the electoral playing field. 

It added: "The applicant (Aam Aadmi Party) has risen to become a national political party. This change in the applicant's character and status has further enhanced its need for, as well as its entitlement to, office spaces in the New Delhi Municipal Area, at par with the 5 other national parties each of which are enjoying, at least, similar allotments in similar locations." 

Referring to the guidelines issued by the Union government's Land & Development Office, the ruling party in the national capital said that it is entitled to two office spaces -- one for its National Unit and another for its Delhi State Unit.  However, as of now, it said that it has been allotted office space only for its Delhi State Unit. 

"Far from being an instance of ‘encroachment’, the Subject Premises were officially allotted to the Applicant (Aam Aadmi Party) by the government of NCT of Delhi on 31.12.2015 for its State Unit Office. This was strictly in accordance with the applicant's entitlement as (at that time) a State Party under the Office Memorandum dated 14.10.2015," said the intervention application filed on Friday.  The application asserted that the Aam Aadmi Party has been occupying the premises since 2015 way before it was earmarked for extending the Rouse Avenue Court Complex.