Supreme Court orders NDMC demolition drive in Delhi's Jahangirpuri,  ‘status quo’

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered status-quo on the demoliton drive started by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) against alleged encroachers in the Jahangirpuri area, where communal riots took place last week.

A bench led by the Chief Justice of India ordered status quo on a mentioning made by Senior Advoate Dushyant Dave.

"Something serious requires your immediate intervention. This is about a completely unconstitutional and illegal demolition   which has been ordered in Jahangirpuri area, where riots took place last week. No notice has been served. There is a provision for appeal under the Municiapl Corporation Act.

We have filed a provisional application(before SC). It was supposed to start at 2PM but they started the demolition today morning at 9 AM knowing that we will mention", Dave submitted.

"Maintain status quo. List before appropriate bench tomorrow", the CJI orderedSenior Advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the petition filed Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind against the alleged actions taken by authorities in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat against accused.

The plea seeks a declaration that the properties of accused cannot be demolished as a punitive measure as such a punishment is unknown to criminal law. Also, there is no due process and fair trial given before the demolition of houses, the petitioner state.

"There's another petition which applies all over India, that be listed along with it", Sibal submitted.

"Alright", the CJI agreed.

Today morning, a communication was sent by the NDMC authorities to the Delhi Police seeking police assistance for a "Special Join Encrocachment

Removal Programme" at Jahangirpuri, where communal clashes occurred on last Saturday during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations.