Hello friends, Imagine that you have been living in a house with your family for years and suddenly one night you come to know that your house will be demolished the very next day. You will neither get a chance to give any explanation, nor the right to put forward your point.
Supreme Court reprimanded UP government
Something similar happened with five families of Prayagraj, whose houses were demolished by the government with a bulldozer. But now the Supreme Court has taken a tough stand on this and has sought a reply from the UP government and warned that if irregularities are found in the action, then the government will have to rebuild these houses at its own cost.
What is the whole matter?
This petition was filed in the Supreme Court by advocate Zulfiqar Haider, Professor Ali Ahmed, two widows and another person. They said that the administration informed them about the demolition late on Saturday night and the bulldozer was run the very next day. Due to this sudden action, they did not even get a chance to present their point or seek legal remedies. The petitioners say that they were legally leaseholders and had also applied to convert their land into freehold. But the administration forcibly linked their land to Bahubali Atiq Ahmed, who was murdered in 2023. He claimed that his properties were completely legal and he was made homeless without any legal process.
State government’s clarification in court
On behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government, Attorney General R. Venkataramani argued that the petitioners were given enough time to respond. But when the Supreme Court raised questions on the way the notice was served in this case, the government’s arguments weakened. Supreme Court Justice Abhay S. Oka reprimanded the government and said, “There is a thing in the Constitution, called Article 21.” He clearly said that the court has already given its verdict on ‘Bulldozer Justice’ and such actions will not be tolerated. Justice Oka warned in clear words, “Now we will order that the government rebuild these houses at its own cost. This will be the right way.”
High Court’s decision and Supreme Court’s close watch
Earlier, the Allahabad High Court ruled in favour of the state government in this matter. The government said that these houses were built on Nazul plots in Prayagraj, whose lease had expired in 1996 and the application for converting it to freehold was rejected in 2015 and 2019. The government claimed that this land was for public use and the houses were illegal. The High Court had rejected the petition on this basis. But the Supreme Court took the petition challenging this decision seriously and said that if the government’s action is not within the ambit of the law, then it will have to take responsibility.
What will happen next?
The Supreme Court has listed this matter for March 21, 2025. Now all eyes are on whether the Supreme Court will order the government to rebuild the houses or some other decision will come out. This case is a big example of the conflict between the government’s bulldozer policy and the constitutional rights of the citizens. If the forcible action is proven to be illegal, it can prove to be a big embarrassment for the government. This stance of the Supreme Court is a ray of hope for all those who become victims of administrative decisions without fault.
Disclaimer: This article is written to provide information only. The information given in it is based on news sources. Please consult experts for legal advice.
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