The Supreme Court on Thursday said that it will take serious view of demolition that took place in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri after information was given to Mayor. Riots broke out in the area in northwest Delhi on Saturday during a Hanuman Jayanti procession
Bulldozers used to remove illegal structures during anti-encroachment drive in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri – ANI
The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a halt of the demolition drive in northwest Delhi’s Jahangirpuri and said the status quo should be maintained in the case till further orders. The apex court said the matter is to be listed after two weeks and pleadings to be completed by then.
A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai issued notice to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) in the petition filed by the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and asked it to file a counter-affidavit within two weeks.
“We’ll take serious view of demolition that took place after information was given to Mayor”, the court said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta arguing on behalf of the government told the bench that both the pleas in the court were filed by Jamiat-ulama-i-Hind and added that this happens when an organisation comes here. “”In Jahangirpuri the drive to remove the encroachments on footpath, etc began on 19 January, in February and in March; and then in 19 April it took place to remove the garbage, etc… I will show you instances when notice is not required and illegal structures were given the notice. Traders have moved the Delhi high Court last year and the court had itself ordered demolition,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kapbil Sibal appealed to the Supreme Court that it should order a stay on the demolition. The top court, however, said it is not ordering any stay at the demolitions in the country.
After the court’s response, Sibal clarified that he meant stay on demolition for the particular area, to which the apex court bench responded that they will look into the matter. He then demanded that the demolition should not be done with bulldozers, to which the SC stated that the demolitions are always with bulldozer.
Reacting to the court’s order North Delhi Mayor, Raja Iqbal Singh, on Thursday said, “We will follow the orders of the Supreme Court. Any action will be taken after the court orders.”
The Supreme Court, on Thursday, also issued notice to the Union of India and the States of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat on another petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind against the authorities in different states resorting to demolition of houses of people accused in crimes. The petitions will be listed again after two weeks.
On Wednesday, 20 April, 2022, a bench led Chief Justice of India (CJI) N V Ramana had ordered status quo on demolitions until further orders in Jahangirpuri after an urgent mention was made by Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave. On Thursday, Advocate Dave submitted that it was a matter related to “national importance”.
Jahangirpuri where riots broke out on Saturday during a Hanuman Jayanti procession, on Wednesday saw seven bulldozers roll into the neighbourhood on orders of the BJP-led North Delhi Municipal Corporation, razing parts of several structures. The “anti-encroachment” drive started around 10.15 am and continued for two hours despite the Supreme Court’s directions at about 11 am that status quo be maintained.
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