Supreme Court Criticizes UP for Illegal Home Demolitions, Orders Compensation

The Supreme Court has criticized Uttar Pradesh authorities for illegal home demolitions, calling the actions high-handed. The court ordered Rs 25 lakhs compensation to affected homeowners and mandated a probe into responsible officials. The incident was highlighted by a 2020 case following a complaint of unlawful demolition without notice.

The Supreme Court delivered a strong rebuke to the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday, condemning the unlawful demolition of residences for road widening, criticizing the state's actions as 'high-handed' and beyond legal bounds.

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, directed the state to compensate affected residents with Rs 25 lakhs and instructed a disciplinary inquiry against responsible officials.

This directive arose from a suo motu case linked to a 2019 complaint, where a house was demolished without prior notice. Despite claims of encroachment, the court emphasized due process must be followed, highlighting findings from the NHRC and setting procedural guidelines for future demolitions.

(With inputs from agencies.)