‘You can't bulldoze houses overnight’: SC orders UP govt to pay ₹25 lakh compensation

New Delhi: The Supreme Court condemned the Uttar Pradesh authorities for their "high-handed" approach in demolishing a man's house without due process during a 2019 road-widening project in the Maharajganj district. The court directed the state government to compensate the petitioner with ₹25 lakh as interim relief for the damages caused by the illegal demolition.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, expressed strong disapproval of the authorities’ actions. Emphasizing the need for lawful procedures in state-led drives, Chief Justice Chandrachud stated, "You can't come with bulldozers and demolish the house overnight." The bench’s remarks underscored that such unilateral actions erode public trust in government operations and disrupt the lives of citizens without justification.

The incident in question occurred in 2019 when the petitioner’s house was demolished during the road widening drive. According to the petitioner, the authorities did not provide sufficient notice or compensation before carrying out the demolition, which left him and his family in a precarious situation. The Supreme Court found the actions of the UP authorities to violate fair administrative practices.

In addition to awarding compensation, the court has directed the chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the case. The probe aims to identify the lapses and establish accountability for the unauthorized demolition The Court emphasized that this inquiry is crucial to prevent similar incidents in the future and to ensure that state agencies operate within the bounds of the law. The state government is also authorized to initiate criminal proceedings against those responsible for the illegal actions, with disciplinary measures to be taken within one month.

With PTI inputs