Supreme Court to Establish Nationwide Guidelines on Home Demolitions for Accused Individuals

The Supreme Court of India is questioning the legality of demolishing homes of individuals accused of crimes. The court aims to set guidelines to ensure demolitions follow lawful procedures and do not target accused individuals arbitrarily. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and other senior advocates are involved in discussions to resolve this nationwide issue.

The Supreme Court of India on Monday challenged the practice of state administrations demolishing the homes of individuals involved in criminal cases, questioning, "How can anybody's house be demolished just because he is an accused?"

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan emphasized the need to follow legal procedures, stating, 'Even if he is a convict, still it can't be done without following the procedure as prescribed by law.'

The court announced its intention to lay down enforceable guidelines to ensure demolitions adhere strictly to lawful protocols. Uttar Pradesh Solicitor General Tushar Mehta referenced an earlier affidavit, confirming that demolitions cannot be based solely on criminal accusations but must comply with applicable municipal and development laws.

Senior advocates, including Dushyant Dave and C U Singh, argued for comprehensive nationwide guidelines to prevent 'bulldozer justice.'

The court scheduled further discussions for September 17 to frame appropriate guidelines and called for suggestions from involved parties.

(With inputs from agencies.)