SC reserves verdict on pleas against demolition of properties, says it will lay down guidelines for all

Supreme Court of India. File Pic

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will lay down guidelines for all citizens on the issue of demolition of properties and reserved its verdict on pleas that have alleged that properties, including of those accused of a crime, were being demolished in several states, reported news agency PTI.

Observing that its directions will be applicable to pan-India, the apex court said it will make it clear that merely because a person is an accused or even a convict, it can't be a ground for demolition of properties.

"Whatever we are laying down, we are a secular country. We are laying it down for all the citizens, for all the institutions not for any particular community," a bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan said, reported PTI.

Observing that there can't be a different law for a particular religion, the Supreme Court bench said it will not protect any unauthorised constructions on public roads, government lands or forests.

"We will take care to ensure that our order does not help the encroachers on any of the public places," the Supreme Court bench said, reported PTI.

"Close for orders," the bench said after the hearing in the matter concluded, reported PTI.

After the bench said it was reserving its verdict in the matter, one of the advocates appearing for the petitioners referred to the apex court's order of September 17 which had said there would be no demolition of properties, including of those accused of crime, till October 1 without its permission, reported PTI.

The lawyer urged the bench to extend its interim order.

"It is there till we decide this matter," the bench said, reported PTI.

Earlier the court had observed that even one instance of illegal demolition was against the "ethos" of the Constitution, reported PTI.

The apex court had clarified that its order would not be applicable if there was an unauthorised structure in any public place such as roads, streets, footpaths, abutting railway lines or any water bodies and also to cases where there was an order for demolition made by a court of law.

(With inputs from PTI)