Supreme Court puts a stay on the demolition of Satpeer Dargah in Nashik. It questions Bombay High Court’s delay in listing the urgent plea filed on April 8.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India asked the Registrar of the Bombay High Court to explain why a legal case about the demolition of Satpeer Dargah in Nashik was not taken up quickly. The Nashik Municipal Corporation had issued a demolition notice against the religious place, and the petitioner had urgently filed a plea to stop it.
A Supreme Court bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi took the matter seriously because the religious structure was at risk of being demolished.
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The judges said that the case should have been heard soon after it was filed in the Bombay High Court on April 8.
However, it had not been listed for a hearing even by April 17.
So, the Supreme Court decided to step in and put a stay (temporary stop) on the demolition notice.
The Court said,
“We are unable to understand as to what transpired from 9th of April till today. Learned counsel submits that they have been trying every day (to get the matter listed).”
The judges explained that they were taking an unusual step by staying the demolition, because the Bombay High Court had not even started hearing the case.
The Court further remarked,
“We are unsure of the statement made and that the High Court would not have listed the case despite repeated request. This is a serious statement and the learned counsel shall take and feel responsibility of the consequence of such a statement.”
Due to the seriousness of the issue, the Supreme Court directed the Registrar General of the Bombay High Court to give a full report about why the writ petition (the plea to stop demolition) was not listed on time.
The Supreme Court also set the next hearing of the matter for April 21.
The Satpeer Dargah has recently become the center of controversy as local municipal authorities began a demolition drive in the area surrounding the structure.
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The petitioner claimed that even after filing the plea on April 8, the Bombay High Court did not list it for a hearing.
Senior Advocate Navin Pahwa and Advocate-on-Record Jasmeet Singh represented the petitioner in this matter.
CASE TITLE:
Baba Hazrat Satpeer Dargah v. Nashik Municipal Corporation.
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