HC directs SDMC to stop illegal construction at AAP MLA's home

Delhi High Court today directed South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to ensure that no further alleged illegal construction was carried out by an AAP legislator at his residence.
A vacation bench of Justice Mukta Gupta issued the direction to SDMC on a plea by the MLA's neighbour who has alleged that the illegal construction was going on despite a work-stop notice and a show cause notice being issued to him.
The petitioner has also alleged that an FIR under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act has been lodged against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from the Kasturba Nagar constituency Madan Lal for alleged unauthorised construction.

The court issued notice to Delhi government, SDMC and the MLA and sought their responses by July 27 on the plea filed Ravinder Kumar, a resident of Kotla Mubarakpur in South Delhi.
The court also pulled up SDMC for its delay in taking any action after it issued show cause notice to the legislator, asking "you want the construction to be raised fully before you demolish it?"
It directed the corporation to ensure that no further illegal construction took place and the demolition is carried out as per law.

Advocate Vikas Chopra, appearing for SDMC, told the court that a work-stop notice was issued by the corporation to Delhi police which has to take action and assured that a fresh work -stop notice would be sent to police to ensure that action is taken.

Chopra also told the court that SDMC had booked the property on May 26 and also sent a show cause notice. On the next day, it had sent the work-stop notice to the police.
Ravinder Kumar, in his plea filed through advocate Gaurav Gupta, has alleged the MLA was "raising the construction in violation of building bye laws and other legal requirements" by "wielding his political influence".
He sought directions stopping further illegal construction and thereafter, its demolition.