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Supreme Court raps UP govt over demolition of houses in Prayagraj: ‘Shocks our conscience’
The court questioned the manner in which the houses were bulldozed within 24 hours of serving notices without the time to appeal.
The Supreme Court on Monday criticised the Uttar Pradesh government over the demolition of houses in Prayagraj, saying it had shocked its conscience.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan questioned how the houses were bulldozed within 24 hours of serving notices without the time to appeal.
“It shocks our conscience how the residential premises were demolished in a high-handed manner,” the bench was quoted as saying by PTI. " The manner in which the whole process has been conducted is shocking. Courts cannot tolerate such a process. If we tolerate it in one case it will continue."
The top court was hearing a plea by advocate Zulfiqar Haider, Professor Ali Ahmed, and others whose houses were demolished in 2021. They approached the top court after the Allahabad High Court rejected their plea challenging the demolition.
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During Monday's hearing, the top court said that it would allow the petitioners to reconstruct their demolished home at their own cost if they were given an undertaking before the appellate authority within the specified time and didn't claim equities over the plot or create third-party interests, according to PTI.
The court said that if their appeals are dismissed, the petitioners must demolish the houses at their own cost.
The bench then adjourned the matter to enable the petitioners to file the undertaking.
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Meanwhile, during the hearing, Attorney General R Venkataramani assured that the state government followed adequate "due process" in serving the notices.
He pointed out large-scale illegal occupations, saying it was difficult for the state government to control unauthorised possessions.
He also added that the first notice about the demolition was sent on December 8, 2020, followed by notices in January 2021 and March 2021, according to Live Law.
"Therefore, we cannot say that there is no adequate due process. There is adequate due process," AG said.
The apex court had previously slammed the Uttar Pradesh government over the demolition of houses in Prayagraj without following due legal procedure and said the action sends a “shocking and wrong signal”, according to PTI.
The counsel for the petitioners had said the state government wrongly demolished the houses thinking the land belonged to gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed, who was killed in 2023 in a police encounter.
With PTI inputs
