SC raps UP govt for demolition of house, orders Rs 25 lakh compensation : Valley Vision

The Supreme Court on Wednesday criticised Uttar Pradesh authorities for their “high-handed” approach in demolishing a house for road widening without prior notice, ordering them to compensate the owner with Rs 25 lakh.

The three-judge bench, which was presided over by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, was hearing a suo motu writ petition registered in 2020 based on a letter complaint by Maharajganj resident Manoj Tibrewal Aakash, whose house was demolished in 2019.

“This is completely high-handed. Where is the due process followed? We have the affidavit that says no notice was issued. You only went to the site and informed the people through a loudspeaker,” CJI Chandrachud said.

“You say that he was an encroacher of 3.7 square metres. We take it. We are not giving him a certificate for it. But how can you start demolishing people’s houses like that?” asks the CJI.

“This is lawlessness… walking into somebody’s house and demolishing it without notice,” the CJI added.

The bench also comprised Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

Justice Pardiwala asked, “You can’t come with bulldozers and demolish houses overnight. You don’t give time to family to vacate. What about the household articles? There has to be due process followed.”

“You can’t tell people just with a beat of drum to vacate houses and demolish them. There has to be proper notice,” said Justice Pardiwala.