Allahabad HC delivers split verdict in case of ‘bulldozer action’ on homes of accused
Allahabad High Court split on the scope of safeguards against demolition of properties after criminal allegations in Uttar Pradesh
- The High Court delivered a split opinion on whether it could provide safeguards against demolition beyond the Supreme Court's framework.
- The petitioners said their house and commercial establishments were sealed and faced demolition after an FIR against a relative.
- The State said the proposed demolition was unrelated to the FIR and was being considered because the structures were reportedly on Irrigation Department land without an approved building plan.
What happened
The Allahabad High Court delivered a split opinion in a dispute involving alleged bulldozer action against residential homes and commercial properties in Uttar Pradesh. The matter has now been referred to the Chief Justice for placement before a third judge because the two judges disagreed on whether the High Court could add safeguards beyond the framework already laid down by the Supreme Court of India.
The petition came from three residents of Hamirpur district in Uttar Pradesh. They said their house and commercial establishments were sealed and faced demolition after an FIR was registered against a relative under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021.
UPSC can frame this as a constitutional law and governance issue: whether executive demolition action can proceed against properties linked to an accused person's family or associates, what safeguards courts may prescribe, and how High Courts balance state power with due process and property rights.
Related dispatches
