Demolition in Sambhal: SC to hear plea seeking contempt action after a week

Plea claimed that authorities in Sambhal in had bulldozed a part of the petitioner's property on January 10-11 without giving any prior notice and opportunity to him or his family members

The Supreme Court on Friday said it would hear after a week a plea seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against authorities in Sambhal for alleged violation of the apex court's verdict on demolition of properties.

The plea came up for hearing before a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih.

The lawyer appearing for petitioner Mohammed Ghayoor sought a short adjournment, saying the arguing counsel was in a personal difficulty.

He requested the bench to post the matter for hearing after a week.

The bench said the plea would come up for hearing after one week.

In his plea filed through advocate Chand Qureshi, the petitioner has alleged violation of the November 13 last year verdict of the top court which laid down pan-India guidelines and said no property should be demolished without a prior show cause notice and the affected must be given 15 days to respond.

The plea claimed that authorities in Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh had bulldozed a part of the petitioner's property on January 10-11 without giving any prior notice and opportunity to him or his family members.

"The petitioner states that he and his family members had all the necessary documents, approved maps and other related documents of the property but, the contemnors came to the premises of the petitioner property and started demolishing the said property," the plea said.

Passing a slew of directions, the apex court had in its November 2024 verdict made clear that they would not be applicable if there was an unauthorised structure in a public place such as road, street, footpath, abutting railway line or any river or water bodies and also in cases where there was an order for demolition made by a court of law.