SC asks GDA to maintain status quo; notice to UP govt, Sahara

The Supreme Court today asked the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) in Uttar Pradesh to maintain status quo with regard to land in the district meant for construction of houses for economically weaker sections.

Earlier, the Allahabad High Court had stayed construction of houses on a petition filed by developer Sahara India Commercial Corporation challenging the land acquisition by GDA in few villages in the district.

A Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, hearing the GDA's petition against the HC order, issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government, Sahara India Commercial Corporation, 11 other developers and others.

The apex court also asked the GDA to maintain status quo till October 23 with regard to the land on which the flats belonging to economically weaker and lower income group are being constructed by the Authority.

According to GDA, Sahara's plea before the high court was not maintainable as the company does not own a single inch of land and "is a complete stranger" to the whole issue.

Besides, the land acquired by the Authority cannot be reserved for the 11 developers as they were not registered, GDA said.

The high court order had asked GDA to maintain status quo on construction on the ground that the state government had only given symbolic and not actual possession of more than 1,234 acres of land to the Authority.

GDA senior counsel Mukul Rohtagi said said the impugned order should be stayed as this has adversely affected the development of the entire scheme and was also against the public interest.

The counsel said that the construction work was going on in full swing and the Authority had also published brochure for inviting applications for allotment of plots, flats and houses from the public.