The State of Uttar Pradesh assured the Supreme Court on Tuesday that it would not act on the demolition notices issued against the buildings of certain residents of Bahraich, who were accused of rioting, till October 23.
The submission was made by Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj before a the Bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan on an application seeking protection against the proposed demolitions.
Communal riots had taken place in Bahraich town of Uttar Pradesh last week. The authorities recently issued notices to demolish the buildings of certain persons, who were named as accused in an FIR related to rioting, alleging that their constructions were illegal.
Three of the accused filed an application before the Supreme Court on October 20 against the demolitions proposed on the same day (Sunday).
The matter was mentioned before the Apex Court today by Senior Advocate Chander Uday Singh.
On September 17, the same Bench had passed an interim order that no construction should be bulldozed without prior permission from the Supreme Court, except those that were encroachments on public spaces.
The Bench had also reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions seeking directions against ‘bulldozer’ action by various State authorities, whereby houses of persons accused of crimes were demolished as a punitive action.
Appearing for the State of Uttar Pradesh, ASG Nataraj today apprised the Bench that the Allahabad High Court was also seized of the matter regarding bulldozer actions.
After an urgent hearing on Sunday, the High Court had granted 15 more days to the persons to respond to the notices.
The Bench, while listing the application for tomorrow, warned that in case the Uttar Pradesh authorities wanted to take risk of flouting the Apex Court order, it was their choice.
The top court of the country directed the ASG to defer action till tomorrow, which the latter agreed to.