The Supreme Court of Wednesday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to pay a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the owner whose house was demolished by the authorities without giving notice.
A three-judge bench, presided over by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachu, 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, Indian Express reported.
The house was demolished for widening a road without giving notice.
On the argument that the man’s house encroached public land, 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?”
“This is lawlessness… walking into somebody’s house and demolishing it without notice,” the CJI added, IE reported.
Terming it “very high-handed,” Justice Pardiwala said, “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”.
Besides ordering the payment of compensation, the Supreme Court also asked the UP chief secretary to hold an inquiry against officers and contractors responsible for the demolitions and also initiate disciplinary action against them.