Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered status quo on the demolition drive initiated in the early hours of Wednesday. NDMC had announced a joint encroachment drive in the Jahangirpuri area and initiated the drive at around 9 am.
The matter was mentioned by Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave before Chief Justice of India NV Ramana.
Sr Advocate Dave stated, “Something serious requires your immediate intervention. This is about a completely unconstitutional and illegal demolition which has been ordered in the Jahangirpuri area, where riots took place last week. No notice has been served. There is a provision for appeal under the Municipal Corporation Act. We have filed a provisional application(before SC). It was supposed to start at 2 PM but they started the demolition today morning at 9 AM knowing that we will mention.”
“We direct status quo. We will list it tomorrow,” CJI Ramana said.
Another PIL filed by Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind was listed before CJI. The PIL has been seeking directions to the Central and State governments that no residential accommodation or commercial property be demolished as a punitive measure.
The PIL by Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind was represented by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal.
Citing the increasing incidents of such demolition drives, the petition stated, “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 destruction of their homes and commercial properties in case of riots.”
BJP-Controlled NDMC Starts Anti-Encroachment Drive To Bulldoze Illegal Houses In Violence Hit Jahangirpuri
Days after communal clashes broke out during the Hanuman Jayanti procession, BJP-controlled North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Tuesday announced to initiate a joint encroachment drive in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area.
In the drive, the authorities have planned to bulldoze structures which are allegedly illegal on Wednesday and Thursday. NDMC has also asked 400 personnel from the Delhi Police to “handle law and order” during the drive.
In the letter to Northwest Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Usha Rangnani, NDMC stated, “The special joint encroachment removal action programme comprising Public Works Department (PWD), local body, Police and the Works/Maintenance Department, Health Department, Sanitation Department, Veterinary Department and Enforcement Cell of North DMC is to be fixed in Jahangirpuri area.”
NDMC added, “You are, therefore requested to provide at least 400 police personnel including lady police/outer force for maintaining law and order during the encroachment removal action.”
The action came after violence that erupted during a religious procession in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri on April 16. Nine people were injured including eight policemen.
A total of 23 people have been arrested and two juveniles apprehended. National Security Act was imposed on five accused on Tuesday.
Similar incidents of such demolitions were reported in the state of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
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