The Court has observed that law and order issues are being used as a pretext to demolish buildings in Nuh and Gurugram without adhering to the proper legal procedure. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has expressed concern that the demolition of structures belonging to a specific community may indicate an attempt at ethnic cleansing by the state.
The Bench comprising Justices GS Sandhawalia and Harpreet Kaur Jeewan has raised alarm over the demolition campaigns in Nuh district of Haryana, following recent communal confrontations. Taking suo moto cognizance, the High Court has put a stop to the ongoing demolitions.
Referring to articles from Times of India and The Indian Express, the Court mentioned that authorities claimed illicit structures were being demolished due to antisocial behavior by individuals who erected them.
The news items reported that long-standing commercial, residential, and restaurant structures near the hospital were demolished by bulldozers. The Home Minister himself reportedly referred to these demolitions as part of “illaj” (treatment) in the context of investigating communal violence.
Quoting Lord Acton’s famous saying, “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” the Court expressed concerns about the misuse of authority.
Given these developments, the Court felt compelled to notify the State and ordered the State of Haryana to submit an affidavit detailing the number of structures demolished in Nuh and Gurugram in the past two weeks and whether any prior notices were issued.
The Court emphasized that any future demolitions must be halted if the legal procedure is not followed. The next hearing on this matter is scheduled for August 11.
