New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday said that it can’t stop demolitions but stressed that the ”due process of law” should be followed while carrying out the exercise and sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh government in this regard.
Supreme Court observes that it can’t stay demolitions but the process of law must be followed for the demolition of alleged unauthorised structures.
— ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2022
Making its observation, the top court noted that “everything should be fair” and authorities should strictly follow the due procedure under the law.”
SC asks UP govt to file response on pleas by Jamiat-Ulama-I-Hind & others seeking directions to UP authorities to ensure that no further demolitions of properties are carried out in State without following due process; asks UP govt to file affidavit in 3 days. Hearing next week pic.twitter.com/Gz1mCz5E8m– ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2022
The highest court of the country sought a response from the US government authorities to pleas alleging that the houses of those accused in last week’s violence were illegally demolished.
There must be a sense among the citizens that rule of law prevails in the country, a vacation bench of Justices A S Bopanna and Vikram Nath said. The bench then posted the matter for further hearing on Tuesday. “Everything should be fair. We expect the authorities to strictly follow the due procedure under the law,” it said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, and senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the Kanpur and Prayagraj civic authorities, said the due process of law was followed and notice in one instance of demolition was given way back in August 2020.
Mehta also contended that none of the affected parties is before the court and a Muslim body, the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, has approached the court seeking a generic order that there should not be any demolition.
Senior advocates C U Singh, Huzefa Ahmadi and Nitya Ramakrishnan, appearing for the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, argued that the statements are being made by the highest constitutional authorities, including the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, and demolitions are subsequently being carried out without giving an opportunity to the alleged riot accused to vacate their houses.
The top court made these observations while hearing pleas filed by the Muslim body seeking directions to the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure that no further demolitions of properties of alleged accused of recent violence are carried out in the State.