The Supreme Court bench stressed that it is not defending illegal construction. “But there should be guidelines for demolition,” it said.
A bulldozer cannot be brought directly to demolish the houses at some pretext or the other the judges resolved.
This issue might comeup in the state of Telangana also as structures are being demolished even after having the GHMC permissions and other clerances.
HYDRA might be questioned by the courts on the legality or the power that it has to demolish structures in the name of lake protection.
Senior Advocates Dushyant Dave and CU Singh, appearing for the petitioners, pointed to the demolition exercise in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri. The lawyers said in some cases property rented out was demolished.
“They demolished 50-60 year old homes because son or tenant of the owner is involved. One case is from MP and one from Udaipur,” Mr Singh said.
Another matter that came up was the demolition of a house in Rajasthan’s Udaipur after a student living there stabbed his classmate. “If a man’s son is a nuisance, demolishing his home is not the right way,” Justice Viswanathan said.
