NEW DELHI, April 1 – India’s Supreme Court has strongly criticized the Uttar Pradesh government and the Prayagraj Development Authority for the “inhuman and illegal” demolition of homes in Prayagraj city.
A bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, on Tuesday, stated that the demolitions were carried out in a “high handed” manner, emphasizing that the “rule of law” prevails in the country and that citizens’ residential structures cannot be demolished in such a manner.
“This shocks our conscience. There is something called right to shelter, due process of law,” the bench observed.
The Supreme Court directed the authority to pay ₹1 million ($12,000) in compensation to each of the affected homeowners within six weeks. The court had previously rebuked the Uttar Pradesh government for the demolitions, stating that they sent a “shocking and wrong signal” by not following due legal procedures.
The court was hearing a petition filed by advocate Zulfiqar Haider, professor Ali Ahmed, and others whose houses were demolished. Their legal representatives argued that the state government had wrongly demolished the houses, under the mistaken belief that the land belonged to gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed, who was killed in a police encounter in 2023.
The Allahabad High Court had earlier dismissed a plea challenging the demolitions. According to the petitioners, they were served a notice on March 6, 2021, concerning certain constructions in the Lukerganj area of Prayagraj district.
