Even layman knows of SC bulldozer order, but IAS officer unaware: HC
During a recent session, the Bombay High Court raised concerns over the Nagpur Municipal Corporation's lack of awareness regarding the Supreme Court's 'Bulldozer judgement.' Officials from the NMC asserted that their non-compliance stemmed from insufficient information and a missing circular. In light of the publicized ruling, the court mandated the submission of separate affidavits from the…
The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court expressed surprise at Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) officials claiming ignorance of the Supreme Court's "Bulldozer judgement." According to the court, "even a layman has got the knowledge about such decision." One of the officers, an IAS officer, was specifically cited for lacking awareness of the ruling.
The court directed NMC officials to file affidavits by September 4, clarifying their stance on the matter. The case involved Mahal riots case prime accused Fahim Khan's mother, Mehrunissa Shamim Khan, and 96-year-old Abdul Hafiz, whose partially demolished property was targeted due to their relative's involvement as an accused. The issue centered around the manner and promptness with which the civic body proceeded with demolitions following notices.
On July 10, the court had directed NMC to provide detailed records of its actions to demolish unauthorized structures promptly within the past decade. NMC admitted it had no such instances in the previous ten years. The judges pointed out that despite repeated directions from the court over a decade, NMC had failed to act accordingly.
They questioned the civic body's compliance with the Supreme Court's "Bulldozer judgement," issued on November 13, 2024. The court mandated a 15-day notice before demolishing any structure, regardless of other statutes that might permit shorter notice periods, including 24-hour notices. NMC agreed that the SC judgement applied to the case but explained that they had acted according to prevailing statutory provisions and failed to comply with the SC directions due to a lack of knowledge and absence of a circular communicating the ruling.
The officers offered an unconditional apology and pledged strict compliance with future Supreme Court directions. However, the HC found their explanation difficult to accept, noting that the bulldozer judgement was delivered on November 13, 2024, while the impugned notice was issued on March 31, 2025 – about four months later.
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