Meerut: The Allahabad High Court paused the demolition of 27 homes in Bareilly’s Shahabad area after residents challenged the Uttar Pradesh administration’s notices. The court said no authority should demolish any house without due process. It directed officials to wait until a final order is issued by the competent civic body.
The bench of Justices Ajit Kumar and Satyavir Singh instructed each petitioner to file an individual reply within four weeks. The court asked the municipal authority to issue a reasoned order within two months after granting a personal hearing. The court said that no demolition will take place for three months or until the final order, whichever comes first.
Residents approached the court after they received notices on October 9. These notices declared their houses illegal and asked them to vacate their structures within five days. The petitioners said the Bareilly Municipal Corporation had collected taxes for years from these homes, which contradicts the claim that the structures are illegal.
The notices warned of FIRs and recovery of demolition costs. The petitioners said the action was connected to the unrest that followed the “I Love Muhammad” protest. The authorities linked the enforcement drive to cleric Tauqeer Raza and his supporters and cited violations.
State officials told the court that the notices had already received replies, and the matter can proceed through the normal show-cause process. The court said due process must be followed before any further action.
