The Supreme Court of India has ordered the formation of a joint expert committee to investigate illegal constructions in South Delhi and summoned a top development official from Gurugram over widespread fire safety failures.
During a hearing on Thursday, a bench comprising Justice A Amanullah and Justice R Mahadevan criticized civic authorities, stating that local bodies were only executing face-saving exercises instead of taking decisive action against unauthorized and unsafe buildings. The court warned that it would initiate contempt of court proceedings against officials who continue to ignore its previous directives.
Joint Panel to Assess South Delhi Neighborhoods
To determine the scale of unauthorized construction, the court ordered the establishment of an assessment team consisting of two senior Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) professors, two draftsmen, and officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
The specialized panel is tasked with investigating illegal developments in the Saket, Lajpat Nagar, and Malviya Nagar areas of Delhi and submitting an honest report to the court. The bench directed the relevant officials to appear in court for the next hearing on August 4, emphasizing that there must be no laxity in the investigation.
Gurugram Authority Summoned Over Safety Failures
The Supreme Court also summoned the vice chairman of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority to appear on August 4. The summons was issued following media reports indicating that more than 90 percent of commercial establishments in Gurugram had failed recent fire safety audits. The vice chairman must formally apprise the court of the measures implemented to resolve these safety gaps.
Expressing deep concern over the systemic disregard for its orders, the bench criticized the MCD’s non-compliance with court orders issued in 2024, as well as specific instructions dated May 20, 2026. The panel addressed these concerns directly to Additional Solicitor General S D Sanjay, who is representing the municipal corporation.
Amicus Curiae Points to Systemic Failures and Fatalities
The court also formally accepted a status report submitted by senior advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha, who is serving as the amicus curiae to assist the court on unauthorized constructions and recent fires, with assistance from advocate Govind Jee.
In his report, Sinha strongly criticized the MCD for failing to take timely action to halt the construction of an unauthorized building in Saidulajab. The structure subsequently collapsed on May 30, resulting in six deaths and 14 injuries. Sinha’s report also highlighted that a June 3 fire in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar and a June 22 blaze in Lucknow were not isolated incidents, but rather the result of multiple systemic failures.
Background of Nationwide Directives
The current proceedings build upon a March 25 court directive, in which the Supreme Court highlighted rampant building violations occurring in prohibited zones and noted that completed buildings were frequently being put to unauthorized use.
During that March hearing, the court instructed municipal authorities nationwide to conduct thorough reviews within their jurisdictions to identify residential zones that are being illegally used for commercial and non-residential purposes.
