Do you need bulldozers to clear stalls, chairs, tables, boxes?: Supreme Court on Jahangirpuri demolition

New Delhi: "Do you need bulldozers to clear stalls, chairs, tables, and boxes?" asked the Supreme Court during the hearing on Thursday concerning the anti-encroachment drive in the violence-hit Jahangirpuri area of the national capital. The question by a bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai was posed to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta after the law officer, appearing for the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), said the law permitted the removal of "stalls, benches, boxes, ladders", etc, occupying public streets and footpaths without permission.

Mehta submitted that there is no provision for notice to remove stalls, chairs, etc from footpaths and roads. "So, the demolition carried out yesterday (Wednesday) was restricted to benches, boxes, and chairs," asked the bench to the Solicitor General. Mehta replied, "Whatever was on a public street, on the footpath was removed. That is my instruction." 

At this juncture, Justice Gavai asked, "For stalls, benches, boxes, ladders, and chairs, do you need a bulldozer?" The Solicitor General said that "when you need bulldozers, you need them for buildings". He further said that notices were issued for buildings. Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for one Ganesh Gupta whose juice shop in Jahangirpuri was allegedly destroyed without prior notice, sought compensation and said no notice was issued to him.

The top court extended the status quo until further orders on the issue of demolition of buildings in the violence-hit Jahangirpuri area and said it would take a serious view of an alleged violation of its order even after the NDMC mayor was informed.

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