A bench led by Justice Bhushan R Gavai will address the plea filed by Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, which challenges the government’s authorization to use bulldozers to demolish the homes of individuals accused in criminal cases.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a plea on September 2 seeking to stay the growing practice of ‘bulldozer justice’ observed in several states.
A bench led by Justice Bhushan R Gavai will address the plea filed by Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, which challenges the government’s authorization to use bulldozers to demolish the homes of individuals accused in criminal cases.
The petition references recent incidents in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, alleging that minority communities are being disproportionately targeted by these ‘bulldozer actions.’
Filed by lawyer Farooq Rashid, the plea claims that state governments are perpetuating a cycle of oppression against marginalized communities, particularly minorities, by using bulldozers to demolish their homes and properties as a means of intimidation.
It further contends that the government and administration are denying victims the opportunity to pursue legal recourse, instead resorting to immediate punitive action without waiting for the legal process to conclude.
This Supreme Court hearing follows recent events in Udaipur, Rajasthan, where authorities demolished an illegally constructed house belonging to a Class 10 student accused of stabbing a classmate, leading to minor clashes between locals and police.
Additionally, a report by Amnesty International in February this year highlighted that 128 properties were demolished by bulldozers in the aftermath of communal violence in Delhi, Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh between April 2022 and June 2022.
Case Title: Brinda Karat v. North Delhi Municipal Corporation & Ors.
