Kanpur and Prayagraj demolitions: SC to hear pleas on July 13
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Wednesday said that it would hear on July 13, a batch of pleas against “extra-legal” demolition of buildings linked to the accused involved in violent protests in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur and Prayagraj over objectionable remarks made by now sacked two BJP functionaries on Prophet Mohammed.
A vacation bench of justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala passed the order after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the UP government said that they have circulated a letter seeking some more time to respond to the additional facts brought forward by the petitioner a Muslim body Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind.
He said that the affected party whose cause is being sought to espouse by the petitioner has moved the Allahabad high court and a notice has been issued on his plea on Tuesday. Mehta pointed out that when asked the affected party (of the demolitions) has said that it has nothing to do with the case in Supreme Court. The bench then asked senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan appearing for the petitioner Muslim body that whether they have any objection to the time being sought by the state government. Rama krishn an said that they do not have any objection and the court may fix the date in the month of July after the reopening of the apex court after vacation. The bench then fixed the date of July 13 for further hearing of the matter.
The Jamiat had earlier filed another plea on the issue of demolition of buildings and other illegal structures in Jahangirpuri in the national capital.The state has told the apex court in an affidavit that the demolitions were undertaken in accordance with the law and the exercise was in no way meant to punish the accused for their involvement in violent protests following the remarks made by the BJP leaders against the Prophet.“The demolitions referred to in the interlocutory applications were carried out by the local development authority, which are statutory autonomous bodies, independent of the state administration, as per law as part of their routine effort against unauthorised/illegal constructions and encroachments, in accordance with the UP Urban Planning and Development Act, 1972,” the state said.