SC adjourns hearing on contempt plea against UP authorities on demolition in Sambhal

New Delhi [India], January 24 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Friday postponed the hearing of a contempt petition against Uttar Pradesh authorities for one week, in connection with the alleged violation of its November 13, 2024, order, which restrains demolition actions across the country without prior notice and an opportunity for hearing.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai and AG Masih deferred the matter for one week after the petitioner's lawyer requested an adjournment, citing the unavailability of the arguing counsel.
The petitioner, Mohammed Ghayoor, filed the contempt petition claiming that a part of his property, situated at Sambhal, was demolished by authorities between January 10 and 11, 2025, without any prior notice or hearing, despite the court's directions.
The contempt plea claimed the property (a factory) was the Ghayoor and his family's sole source of income and as such, the action of the authorities has jeopardised their source of livelihood.
On November 13 last year, the top court delivered a judgment and laid down pan-India guidelines saying no property should be demolished without a prior show cause notice and the affected must be given 15 days to respond.
It passed a slew of directions in its November 2024 verdict. It made clear that they would not be applicable if there was an unauthorised structure in a public place such as a road, street, footpath, abutting railway line or any river or water bodies and also in cases where there was an order for demolition made by a court of law. (ANI)