The Supreme Court on Monday opted not to entertain a plea seeking contempt action against Gujarat authorities accused of violating Supreme Court guidelines on property demolition. The bench, consisting of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih, suggested that the petitioner pursue the matter in the jurisdictional high court instead.
During the session, the bench questioned the petitioner’s counsel, “Why don’t you go to the high court?” highlighting the challenges the apex court faces in monitoring every such case directly. The justices expressed their inability to entertain the petition, stating, “We are not inclined to entertain the present petition,” thereby directing the focus of the matter back to the state level.
The plea in question, represented by advocate Paras Nath Singh, accused officials from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation of demolishing three houses and a shed on private land without proper notification. This action was claimed to be in direct contravention of the Supreme Court’s verdict on November 13, 2024, which established nationwide guidelines prohibiting the demolition of properties without issuing a prior show-cause notice and allowing a 15-day response period for the affected parties.
The petitioner, who is the convenor of the Minority Coordination Committee in Gujarat, alleged that these demolitions, carried out in December of the previous year, blatantly disregarded the apex court’s explicit directives. According to the Supreme Court’s 2024 judgment, the outlined protections do not extend to unauthorized constructions on public spaces such as roads, streets, and footpaths, but do emphasize the necessity of due process before the demolition of properties on private land.
