The Supreme Court has rightly called the demolition of dwellings in Prayagraj ‘inhuman and illegal’, consequently ordering the city development authority to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation to each aggrieved house owner.
This decision underscores the judiciary's commitment to upholding citizens' fundamental rights, emphasizing that the right to shelter is integral to Article 21 of the Constitution.
The so-called bulldozer justice trend started with the Yogi Adityanath government in UP where the bulldozer became a symbol of a ruthless administration and has spread to other BJP-ruled States like UP, MP and Maharashtra, where authorities carrying out demolitions of properties, cites the alleged criminal cases or encroachments as the reasons, without following the due process of law.
The Bulldozer demolition amounts to undermining the rule of law. What is surprising is that the latest spree of demolitions happened despite the SC’s clear guidelines. Making the most of legal loopholes, the authorities continue to overturn the SC guidelines.
A zero-tolerance approach to encroachments on public land is mandatory and the same yardstick should be applied to illegal demolitions.
