The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard the petition against bulldozer action and said that it will lay down guidelines for all citizens on the issue of demolition of properties. The apex court has reserved its verdict. In the pleas, petitioners have alleged that properties, including those of those accused in the crime, were being demolished in several states.
Observing that its directions will apply to pan-India, the top court said it will make it clear that a person being accused of a crime can't be grounds for demolition of his property. A division bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan was hearing the pleas. The bench said, "Whatever we are laying down, we are a secular country. We are laying it down for all the citizens, for all the institutions not for any particular community."
'Will not protect illegal construction': SC
Meanwhile, the court observed that there can't be a different law for a particular religion and therefore it will not protect any unauthorised constructions on public roads, government lands or forests. "We will take care to ensure that our order does not help the encroachers on any of the public places," the bench said. "We will take care to ensure that our order does not help the encroachers on any of the public places," the bench said.
Later the bench said that it reserved the order. However, soon after this, one of the advocates appearing for the petitioners referred to the apex court’s order of September 17 which stated that without its permission no demolition of any accused's property would be done till October 1.
(With PTI Inputs)
ALSO READ | Supreme Court stops bulldozer action, says no unauthorised demolition till next hearing on October 1
