SC orders UP to pay Rs 60 lakh compensation for bulldozing homes in Prayagraj

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Prayagraj Development Authority to pay Rs 10 lakh each to six persons within six weeks for illegally bulldozing their homes in 2021, Live Law reported.

They included a lawyer and a professor.

“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 court said. It held that the demolitions as a “violation of rights of the appellants under Article 21 of the Constitution”.

The bench of justices Abhay S Okay and Ujjal Bhuyan said the “cases shock our conscience” and criticised the manner in which authorities affixed notices instead of serving it to the appellants before demolishing their homes.

The court was referring to the method of posting notices on the property in question instead of delivering them in person or via registered mail.

“It cannot be that the person entrusted with the job of serving notice goes to the address and affixes it after finding that on that day the person concerned is not available,” the court said.

“This affixing business must be stopped,” the court added. “They have lost their houses because of this.”

The court was hearing a petition filed by advocate Zulfiqar Haider, professor Ali Ahmed, two widows and another person. The group...

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