HC agrees to hear petitions challenging use of bulldozers in Delhi's Jahangirpuri
Apr 20, 2022
New Delhi [India], April 20 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday agreed to hear the petitions against the anti-encroachment drive in the Jahangirpuri area where violence broke out last week.
The court told the petitioners to come up with notifications and all documents in this regard.
The bench comprising of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Navin Chawla on Wednesday agreed to hear the matter today itself but refused to put an immediate stay on the drive for now. The court asked the petitioners to file the petition in the registry and directed them to list the matter today for hearing before the concerned bench.
The court also asked Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for concerned authorities to take clear instructions in this regard.
Meanwhile, ASG Sharma apprised the court that a similar matter is already seized on by the Supreme Court today. He also submitted that these are illegal encroachments and therefore there is no legal protection available to them.
Appearing for petitioners, the advocates stated, "No notice was given to us, no mention of any law and acts on the public notice." Petitioners requested for immediate stay till the matter is taken up by the court. The lawyer also said that if the stay is not granted, nothing will be left in the said cluster area.
North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) started an "encroachment removal action programme" on Wednesday to remove illegal construction in the Jahangirpuri area through bulldozers. Nine bulldozers reached Jahangirpuri to conduct the anti-encroachment drive in the violence-hit area today.
However, the drive was halted and bulldozers were sent back after the Supreme Court today ordered to maintain a "status-quo" on the demolition drive conducted by the NDMC in Jahangirpuri in the national capital.
The court said it will hear tomorrow the petition challenging the special joint encroachment removal programme in Jahangirpuri of the civic bodies including the NDMC and the PWD.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana hearing the submission of Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave ordered status quo in the present situation and said the petition would be listed before an appropriate bench.
The court's order came even as bulldozers started razing structures in the area as per orders of the BJP-controlled North Delhi Municipal Corporation and amid heavy police presence. The "encroachment removal action programme" was scheduled to take place on Wednesday and Thursday after the area witnessed violence on April 16 during a religious procession
Jahangirpuri is the same area where clashes broke out during a religious procession on April 16. NDMC had also asked for 400 personnel from the Delhi Police to "handle law and order" during the drive.
