UP govt says SC's verdict on demolitions to help reduce organised crime

The Uttar Pradesh government, which has been receiving flak from various quarters over "bulldozer action", Wednesday hailed the Supreme Court's verdict on the matter and said it will help curb organised crime and instil a fear of legal consequences among criminals.

The opposition parties hoped that with this verdict, the "bulldozer terror" and "jungle raj" in the state would end.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court laid down pan-India guidelines over the demolition issue and said no property should be demolished without a prior show cause notice and the affected must be given 15 days to respond.

It equated 'bulldozer justice' with a lawless state of affairs where might is right.

Clarifying that the Uttar Pradesh government was not involved in the case, a state government spokesperson, in a statement, said the verdict was part of the case 'Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind vs. North Delhi Municipal Corporation and others'.

Welcoming the Supreme Court's verdict as a significant step forward, a Uttar Pradesh government spokesperson said, "The first requirement of good governance is the rule of law."  "This ruling will increase criminals' fear of the law, making it easier to control mafia elements and organised professional criminals," the spokesperson said, adding, "The rule of law applies to everyone."  Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar also welcomed the court's order and said, "The government never demolishes anyone's personal property. Bulldozer is run on illegal occupation of public properties. It was the high court's decision, we do not do it on our own."  Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati took to X to welcome the judgment and said, "After today's decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court regarding demolitions and the related strict guidelines, it should be expected that UP and other state governments will manage public interest and welfare properly and the terror of bulldozer will definitely end now."  The Congress' Uttar Pradesh chief Ajay Rai said the verdict would end the "jungle raj" in the state while the Samajwadi Party said that "bulldozer action" was "totally unjust, unfair, unconstitutional and illegal".

While delivering the verdict, the top court said the Executive cannot become a judge, decide that an accused is guilty and punish him by demolishing his properties as such an act would be transgressing its limits.

It also observed that it will be "totally unconstitutional" for more than one reason if a citizen's house is demolished merely because he is an accused or a convict, that too without following the due process as prescribed by law.