Jahangirpuri demolition: Status quo to continue, next Supreme Court hearing in two weeks
Issuing notices in the batch of petitions against the demolitions, the Supreme Court bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai directed that the status quo be maintained till further orders in the case.
FollowThe Supreme Court, while hearing the petitions against the demolition drive in Delhi's Jehangirpuri that had witnessed communal clashes earlier this week, noted that it would take a serious view of the demolition being carried out even after its orders were conveyed to the New Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor.
Issuing notices in the batch of petitions against the demolitions, the Supreme Court bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai directed that the status quo be maintained till further orders in the case.
The court set the next hearing in the matter after two weeks.
“Status quo to be maintained till further order…List after two weeks and pleadings to be completed till then,” the court said. The apex court also said that it will take a serious view of the demolition on Wednesday, which was carried out even after its orders though the NDMC Mayor was informed.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contended that the NDMC issued prior notice before the anti-encroachment drive to clear public roads. This was the 5th day of the drive which began in January.
He also rejected allegations that a particular community was being targeted, calling the claims made by advocates Dushyant Dave and Kapil Sibal as factually incorrect.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta arguing on behalf of the government said that both the pleas in the Supreme Court are filed by Jamiat-ulama-i-Hind and added that this happens when an organisation comes here. “In Jahangirpuri the drive to remove the encroachments on footpath, etc began on January 19, in February and in March; and then in April 19 it took place to remove the garbage, etc… I will show you instances when notice is not required and illegal structures were given the notice. Traders have moved the Delhi HC last year and the HC had itself ordered demolition,” Mehta said.
Bulldozers rolled into troubled Jahangirpuri on Wednesday morning and tore down several concrete and temporary structures close to a mosque as part of an anti-encroachment drive by the BJP-ruled civic body, days after the northwest Delhi neighbourhood was rocked by communal violence.
The area was teeming with hundreds of policemen, including anti-riot contingents, as the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) launched the operation against enroachers. In less than two hours, several shops and businesses were pulled down amid scenes of chaos, with many owners insisting their establishments had the sanction of the Delhi Development Authority and the local civic body.
The action came in the backdrop of demolition drives carried out by the BJP governments in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone and Gujarat’s Anand districts where bulldozers were used to pull down encroached properties belonging to the alleged rioters.
