The Supreme Court on Tuesday strongly criticized the Uttar Pradesh government and the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) for carrying out what it termed as an “inhumane” and “unconstitutional” demolition drive in Prayagraj. The top court directed the PDA to compensate affected individuals with Rs 10 lakh each within six weeks, citing gross violations of their fundamental rights.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan condemned the demolitions, stating that they “shock the conscience.” The ruling came while hearing a plea filed by advocate Zulfiqar Haider, Professor Ali Ahmed, and others whose homes were demolished in 2021. The petitioners alleged they were served notices just a night before the demolition, denying them any opportunity for legal recourse.
"The authorities and especially the development authority must remember that the right to shelter is also an integral part of Article 21 of the Constitution of India," the bench observed, as quoted by Live Law. "Considering the illegal action of the demolition, which is in violation of the rights of the appellants under Article 21, we direct the Prayagraj Development Authority to pay compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the appellants."
The apex court expressed concern over the misuse of power, noting that residential premises were “high-handedly demolished” without following due process. It emphasized that housing rights are fundamental and cannot be trampled upon by arbitrary state action.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had rebuked the Uttar Pradesh government for its role in demolishing several homes, including those of a lawyer and a professor, without adhering to legal procedures. The petitioners’ counsel argued that the demolitions were carried out on the assumption that the land belonged to gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed. However, they contended that the affected residents were unrelated to Ahmed and were wrongfully targeted.
Atiq Ahmed, a controversial figure in Uttar Pradesh politics, was killed in April 2023. Despite this, his name continues to be linked to land disputes and administrative actions in the state.
