Gujarat publishes 2,607 notices, sensitises religious leaders to remove illegal structures: HC told

The Gujarat government has issued 458 notices to occupants of unauthorised religious structures in public spaces, in compliance with Supreme Court directions, as revealed in a High Court hearing on Tuesday.

The state government emphasised that it had implemented effective measures to ensure adherence to guidelines, which included notifying individuals occupying religious structures in public parks, streets, and other areas.

In addition, the government informed the court that 2,607 notices had been published in local newspapers to raise public awareness, while religious leaders were sensitised to support the removal of such structures from public places.

The HC in 2006 initiated suo motu proceedings regarding a demolition drive undertaken by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation for the removal of purported religious structures that encroached upon public spaces. The apex court later issued directions to all states and UTs to identify unauthorised religious structures in public places and formulate a comprehensive policy regarding their removal, relocation, or regularisation.

The HC stated that a Gujarat government resolution, dated April 19, 2024, mandates the committees constituted by municipal corporations and district collectors to submit reports on complying with the SC order to respective departments and that nodal officers are to be appointed to provide detailed data.

“Taking note of the GR, we require the Gujarat home secretary to collect data on the functioning of the committees constituted at the level of the municipal corporation and the district collector,” the HC stated.

The data of the decisions taken by the committees for the last quarter shall be placed before the HC on March 4 when the matter is taken up next.

Taking note of the government’s submission, the HC noted that the removal, regularisation, or relocation of unauthorised religious structures is being taken up continuously and it’s an ongoing process.

The bench said the committee is empowered to review the status of all illegal structures and take steps with reference to either removal, rehabilitation, or regularisation of all structures of a religious nature in public streets, public parks or other public places.

The committee is also required to update the data it collected on such structures, and ensure that no new illegal structures of religious nature are put up in public places, it said. The HC said the panel should take strict actions, including filing criminal complaints under the provisions of the Land Grabbing Act.

With PTI inputs