SC orders status quo on Assam demolitions, issues notice

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Assam govt seeking its response on a plea seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against it for violating its order that no demolition should take place across the country without the court's prior permission.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan agreed to hear pleas of residents of Assam whose houses were demolished and directed the authorities to maintain status quo in the matter. The apex court had, on September 17, said there would be no demolition of properties without its permission.

Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi , appearing for the petitioners, said there has been an "egregious violation" and breach of the apex court's order that had categorically said there should be no demolition without its permission.

Putting a break on 'bulldozer justice' by directing that no demolition work would be carried out by any state govt or its authorities without taking its approval, the apex court had also said people holding public office must stop glorifying the practice or engage in grandstanding about it.

Raising serious concern over bulldozers being used to carry out demolition as a punitive measure which it said was against the ethos of the Constitution and needed to be subjected to judicial oversight, the court had said there was apprehension of its misuse by the executive which could not act as the judge. The court had passed an interim order staying demolition across the country till the next date of hearing on Oct 1 after it was alleged that razing of houses and commercial property continued unabated even after the SC disapproved it and agreed to examine a plea for framing guidelines.