The Supreme Court on Wednesday slammed the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government for allowing authorities to “highhandedly” demolish a private residence to make way for road widening, declaring that the action was carried out without follow due process. or notify the homeowner.

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, presiding over a three-judge bench along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, ordered the state to pay Rs 25 lakh in compensation to the affected owner.

The case arose from a 2020 petition filed by Manoj Tibrewal Aakash, whose house in Maharajganj was demolished without notice in 2019. CJI Chandrachud expressed strong disapproval over the lack of due process, noting that according to an affidavit, the authorities simply They made a speaker. announcement on the site rather than issuing a formal notice. He commented,

“This is a completely high-handed approach. The affidavit confirms that no notification was given,” he said, as reported by The Indian Express.

When the state claimed that the owner had encroached on a small section of public land, CJI Chandrachud replied: “Even if he encroached on 3.7 square metres, that does not justify demolishing a house without due notice.” Judge Pardiwala added: “Bulldozing homes without giving families time to evacuate them or secure their belongings ignores essential due process.”

The court criticized the authorities’ use of public announcements as a substitute for formal notification. Justice Pardiwala stated: “Residents cannot be informed solely with drums to vacate; “adequate notification is mandatory.”

Apart from the compensation, the court directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to conduct an investigation and initiate disciplinary action against the officials and contractors involved, which he had to comply with within a month.