On Thursday, the Supreme Court declined to entertain a plea that accused authorities in Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh of contemptuously violating its previous order concerning the demolition of properties. The bench, led by Justice B R Gavai and including Justices P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan, dismissed the plea on the grounds that the petitioner was neither directly nor indirectly affected by the actions in question.
During the proceedings, Justice Gavai remarked, “We don’t want to open a Pandora’s box,” indicating the court’s cautious approach to the potentially wide-ranging implications of the case. The bench specified that it would only entertain complaints from those directly impacted by the demolitions.
The petition highlighted unauthorized demolitions conducted by local authorities in Haridwar, Jaipur, and Kanpur, claiming these actions were in contempt of the Supreme Court’s explicit directive that no demolitions be carried out without its permission. This directive was part of a broader September 17 order, issued by the court while it deliberated on several petitions concerning property demolitions across various states. This order temporarily barred any demolitions until October 1 unless sanctioned by the court.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court had clarified that its order does not apply to the removal of unauthorized constructions on public infrastructure such as roads, footpaths, railway lines, or in areas encompassing public utilities like water bodies.
