New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday flagged “glorification” and “grandstanding” over bulldozer action in the country, and said if necessary, it will involve the Election Commission of India in the issue as it paused all demolition actions across the country, except with its permission, till the next date of hearing. The next hearing will be held on October 1.
Passing the order, a bench, headed by Justice B.R. Gavai said that unauthorised structures may be demolished following the due procedure but under no circumstances, property be demolished for “extraneous reasons”.
The Bench, also comprising Justice K.V. Viswanathan, clarified that its order will not protect any unauthorized construction on public roads, streets, footpaths, railway lines, or public places. Posting the batch of petitions alleging demolitions carried out without notice for the next hearing on October 1, it said that it would lay down directives within the framework of municipal law guaranteeing legal remedies.
The apex court said that neither the unauthorised occupants nor the authorities should be allowed to take any advantage of ‘lacunas’ in municipal laws.
The apex court was hearing a plea filed by Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, claiming that several houses of persons were demolished in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri immediately after the riots in April 2022 on the allegation that they had instigated riots. Several applications against bulldozer actions across various states were also filed in the same pending matter.