North News
New Delhi, September 2
The Supreme Court on Monday strongly criticized the practice of “bulldozer justice”, questioning the legality of demolishing a house simply because it belongs to an accused or a convicted individual in a criminal case. The court proposed the need for pan-India guidelines to regulate such actions before any homes are demolished. Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, representing the petitioner, urged the court to ensure that “bulldozer justice” does not become a widespread practice across the country, the news outlet NDTV reported.
During the hearing, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta clarified to the bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan that no immovable property can be demolished merely because the owner is involved in a criminal offense. Mehta emphasized that such demolitions should only occur if the structure is illegal. However, he also argued that the issue is being misrepresented in court, the news outlet said.
“Justice Gavai responded by stating, “If you are accepting this, then we will issue guidelines based on this. How can demolition be justified just because someone is an accused or even a convict? If construction is unauthorized, fine. There has to be some streamlining. We will lay down a procedure. You are saying demolition only if there is a violation of municipal laws. There is a need for guidelines, it needs to be documented,” the Supreme Court said.
