The Supreme Court strongly criticized the Uttar Pradesh government and the Prayagraj Development Authority for illegally and insensitively demolishing the homes of a lawyer, a professor, and three others in Prayagraj. The court declared the demolitions unlawful and ordered a compensation of ₹10 lakh per affected person, to be paid within six weeks.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan remarked that such actions are shocking and unacceptable, emphasizing that the demolished properties were forcibly taken down without following due process. Justice Oka stated that recording the demolitions as illegal and imposing compensation was necessary to ensure authorities remember to follow legal procedures in the future.
The court further highlighted that the right to shelter is a fundamental part of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution and criticized the Prayagraj Development Authority for its insensitivity.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had condemned the Uttar Pradesh government for carrying out demolitions without legal procedures, calling it a “shocking and wrong signal.” The petitioners’ counsel argued that the state mistakenly targeted these homes, believing the land belonged to slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed.
The case was brought before the top court by lawyer Zulfiqar Haider, Professor Ali Ahmed, and others after the Allahabad High Court had dismissed their plea against the demolitions. Reportedly, the petitioners had been served a notice regarding the properties in Lukerganj, Prayagraj, on March 6, 2021.
