A plea has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the demolition of properties in the Batla House area of Delhi. .The petition was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice of India (BJI) BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih today, and the Court agreed to list the case next week. "List it next week," the CJI said. .The plea has been filed by one Sultana Shaheen who owns a property in the area.As per the Shaheen, she has been the valid title holder for years and yet, her property is being sought to be demolished on the grounds of being outside the PM-UDAY scheme coverage. PM-UDAY is a scheme aimed at conferring or recognising property rights to residents of notified unauthorised colonies in Delhi.Shaheen told the Court that a 15-day eviction/demolition notice was pasted on her property on May 27. Notably, this was done after the Supreme Court's order of May 7, directing the Delhi government and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to demolish illegal properties in the Batla House area. According to the petitioner, the action is wrong because residents like her were never made a party to that case and were denied the opportunity to present their case."Any blanket demolition drive initiated without affording affected residents an adequate and meaningful opportunity of being heard would amount to a gross infraction of the principles of natural justice and a direct violation of fundamental rights enshrined under Articles 14, 19(1)(e), and 21 of the Constitution of India," the petition said..The petitioner challenged the assertion that these properties are encroachments on public land. "The authorities have failed to distinguish between unregularized encroachments and bona fide allottees, GPA holders, or regularization applicants, thus resulting in gross arbitrariness," it was submitted. .The petition was drawn by advocate Aamir Husain and filed through advocate Adeel Ahmed..[Read live-coverage]
