The Supreme Court on Monday directed that all stay orders passed by the Delhi High Court and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) appellate tribunal halting demolition of unauthorised constructions in Chandni Chowk will lapse from December 31, 2025.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh clarified that any aggrieved party may approach the apex court before the deadline if they have objections. “All the stay orders granted by the appellate tribunal municipal corporation of Delhi and Delhi High Court will be vacated. They will become ineffective with effect from December 31, 2025,” the bench said.
The bench instructed MCD authorities to enforce demolition and removal of unauthorised structures after December 31. It also directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to extend logistical support to civic authorities to ensure compliance.
The court was informed that the post of presiding officer of the appellate tribunal had been vacant for a long time. The bench requested Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya to examine and address the issue.
The order followed submissions from MCD counsel highlighting that numerous stay orders from the tribunal and the high court had stalled action against illegal structures. The Supreme Court, however, clarified that it was only addressing the issue of unauthorised change of land use, particularly conversion of residential premises into commercial ones in Chandni Chowk.
This is not the first time the top court has pulled up authorities on the issue.
- On July 18, the court had rebuked ongoing illegal construction despite a ban and warned that police should arrest anyone “putting even a brick.”
- On May 23, it had directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to deploy a special team to prevent such activities after learning that construction continued despite its orders in the Fatehpuri area of Chandni Chowk.
The proceedings stemmed from a plea filed by a petitioner-in-person, who alleged that unauthorised construction was being carried out in collusion with civic authorities despite repeated judicial prohibitions.
The matter has been posted for further hearing after two weeks.
