Supreme Court Criticizes UP Government Over Demolitions
New Delhi: The Supreme Court expressed serious disapproval towards the Uttar Pradesh government on Monday for demolishing houses in Prayagraj within just 24 hours of notifying the residents. The court stated that this action was shocking and hinted that it might permit the affected homeowners to rebuild their properties while the legal case against the demolition proceeds.
This case involves the demolishing of homes belonging to a lawyer, a professor, and others back in 2021. Justices Abhay Oka and N. Kotishwar Singh, presiding over the matter, criticized the state’s actions as being excessively forceful. "It shocks the conscience of the court how the demolition took place just a day after the notice was issued," they remarked.
The Uttar Pradesh government responded by contesting the claims made by the petitioners, arguing that they had sufficient time to respond to the notices. Attorney General R. Venkataramani stated that the first notification was issued back in December 2020, followed by additional notices in January and March 2021. The petitioners contended that the demolition notice was only formally served on March 6, 2021, and that the actual demolition was conducted the following day.
The petitioners indicated that they were not provided a fair opportunity to appeal against the demolition notice before it was enforced, as required by law. "The state must be fair and allow reasonable time for individuals to challenge such decisions," the judges said.
The court noted that the methods used to serve notice were not legally approved, further complicating the situation. They emphasized that this type of demolition process could not be accepted. If the petitioners are allowed to reconstruct their homes at their expense, they would be responsible for any future demolitions should their appeal fail.
The Supreme Court instructed the petitioners to file a formal undertaking and has postponed the case for further proceedings. Among those affected are advocate Zulfiqar Haider, Professor Ali Ahmed, and a few others who approached the Supreme Court after their plea was dismissed by the Allahabad High Court.
In related news, a recent video showing an eight-year-old girl fleeing with her books as a bulldozer approached her home during a demolition drive in the Jalalpur area of Ambedkar Nagar has stirred significant outrage. The footage has faced criticism from various opposition members, including former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who condemned the incident and pointed to the declining conditions in the state.
On social media, Yadav spotlighted the distressing images and commented about the challenges faced in Uttar Pradesh, remarking, "Eight years, UP ruined, and only questions remain."
