New Delhi, Mar 4 (IANS): In a setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Supreme Court on Monday ordered the national capital's ruling party to vacate its office encroaching on the land allotted to the Delhi High Court by June 15.

A bench, headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, set the June 15 deadline in view of the ensuing general elections and asked the party led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to approach the Union government's Land & Development Office (L&DO) for obtaining alternative office space.

The bench, also comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said that L&DO will decide the party's application for alternative premises within four weeks in accordance with the law.

A bench, headed by CJI Chandrachud, had earlier come down heavily on the party for encroaching on a portion of a plot at Rouse Avenue which has been allotted to the High Court to meet the infrastructural requirements of the district judiciary. It had directed the Delhi Chief Secretary, the Secretary in-charge of the Public Works Department and the Finance Secretary to convene a meeting with the Registrar General of the High Court to settle all outstanding issues without waiting for further directions from the apex court.