The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) to halt its demolition drive supposedly aimed at razing structures built on encroached lands in Jahangirpuri. The apex court directed the BJP-controlled urban body to maintain “status-quo” on the anti-encroachment drive. However, several structures were already razed by the time the NDMC recieved the top court’s order.
The bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana said that the court will hear the plea challenging the joint anti-encroachment drive by the NDMC and PWD on Thursday.
The bench hearing the submission of Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave also said that the matter would be listed before an appropriate bench.
Meanwhile, senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the plea filed by Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind’s plea against employing bulldozers to raze houses of persons suspected to be involved in crimes.
The Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind said in its petition that there has been an upstick in such punitive actions in several states where properties are being demolished for the alleged involvement of their owners in crimes such as rioting.
The Islamic group stated in its petition, “In response to alleged acts of violence, the administration in several states has been employing bulldozers to raze down the houses of persons suspected to be involved in such acts/ incidents. A number of ministers and legislators, including the Chief Minister and the Home Minister of the state of Madhya Pradesh, have made statements advocating such acts and especially threatened the minority groups with the destruction of their homes and commercial properties in case of riots.”
