Allahabad HC seeks responses from UP govt on Sahara Shahar sealing order

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday directed the Lucknow Municipal Corporation and the Uttar Pradesh government to file their replies by October 30 on a plea filed by Sahara India Corporation Limited, challenging the orders for sealing Sahara Shahar.

The court also directed that any cattle left inside Sahara Shahar be taken to 'Kanha Upvan' and taken care of properly.

Sahara Shahar, a 170-acre township in Lucknow's posh Gomtinagar, was sealed by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation due to alleged violations of lease and licence agreements, a point contested by the Sahara group, which recently moved the court against the sealing order.

On Wednesday, a Lucknow bench of justices Sangeeta Chandra and Amitabh Rai passed the order on the writ petition filed by Sahara India Corporation Limited.

After hearing the matter at length, the bench said that the matter required consideration and so directed the parties to exchange the pleadings in the matter.

Sahara strongly opposed the stand of the municipal corporation for taking possession of the land at Sahara Sahar, while sealing all its six gates.

It was said that no inventory of the properties and other valuable items inside this Sahara Shahar were prepared. It was also said that there was no hurry in the matter and entire action has been taken in a hurry without giving proper opportunity of hearing and issuing notice for vacating the premises.

Opposing the plea, the Nagar Nigam said that the terms and conditions of the lease deed granted in 1994 were violated and hence notices were issued in 2020 and in 2025 also, and after giving proper opportunity of hearing the action has been taken for sealing the premises.