In a major move, the Allahabad High Court questioned the Uttar Pradesh government about the circumstances behind the demolition of the petitioner’s home without following the proper legal procedures.
After the Supreme Court, now the Allahabad High Court has raised questions against ‘bulldozer justice’. The Uttar Pradesh High Court expressed strong displeasure over the demolition of a house in Azamgarh without following the legal process and sought a response from the UP government. The court has asked under what legal process the petitioner’s house was demolished.
Sunil Kumar of Azamgarh had filed a petition in the High Court regarding the bulldozer action. On July 22, the Additional Collector of Azamgarh issued an order to demolish Sunil Kumar’s house over a land dispute. It is alleged that Kumar’s house was bulldozed soon without giving him any opportunity of hearing.
Earlier, the Supreme Court on September 2, while hearing a plea against the demolition drive at Udaipur in Rajasthan and Jaura in Madhya Pradesh brought before the court by Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) and tagged with the plea against demolition in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area after the 2022 riots, came down heavily against ‘bulldozer justice’, saying properties can’t be demolished just because they belong to a person accused of crimes. The court said property can’t be demolished even if the person is convicted. Allowing such an action to happen is tantamount to bulldozing the rule of law.
The court is to lay down guidelines on the issue.
