NEW DELHI: Three people allegedly involved in the October 13 Bahraich violence in UP have approached the Supreme Court seeking urgent relief against the demolition notices issued to them for Sunday.
The application stated that on October 18, the PWD pasted 23 backdated notices dated October 17, on their properties.
They claimed that the properties for which notices have been issued are 10-70 years old. “The proposed action is punitive and the government’s defense of unauthorised construction is merely a ruse to illegally overcome the court’s stay order on demolitions.”
While hearing a bulldozer justice matter earlier, the top court had clarified that house of a person cannot be demolished merely because he is an accused. The court’s stand during the proceedings was that houses of people cannot be demolished merely because they are accused of a crime.
The court had also suggested and decided to lay down pan-India guidelines to prevent the abuse of municipal laws.
On October 13, during a procession for immersion of Goddess Durga idol in Maharajganj area of Bahraich, members of a particular community objected to the playing of loud music. This led to a heated argument between two groups and snowballed into violence.
“The trigger for the proposed demolition notices is the proximity of the communal flare-up... A short three-day time has been given to respond to the notice when the applicants have been occupying the house/shops for decades. The short time of three days to respond to the notice...denies reasonable opportunity and time to the applicants to seek legal remedy,” the plea said.