Supreme Court refuses to stay demolition drive in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath
The bench, however, said that the district authorities would be liable to restore the structures if their actions were found to be in contempt of court.
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The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay a demolition drive in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district, Bar and Bench reported.
The court also sought a response from the state government on a contempt petition claiming that the district authorities had illegally bulldozed Muslim religious sites and residences in the district in September, Live Law reported.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan was hearing a plea by the Summast Patni Muslim Jamat, a trust representing the Patni Muslim community of the Prabhas Patan area near the Somnath temple.
On September 28, the authorities demolished nine mosques and shrines, and several homes in Prabhas Patan for alleged land encroachment.
Advocate Sanjay Hegde, representing the petitioners, expressed concern that the administration may build new structures on the demolition sites if the court did not order status quo.
Hegde argued that the structures in question dated back to 1309 and that the notices issued to the parties did not mention any planned demolitions.
He also contended that the administration’s actions violated the Supreme Court’s September 17 order requiring authorities across the country to take the court’s permission before carrying out any demolition, Live Law reported.
On September 17, the court passed an interim order staying demolitions without its permission till October 1. The court clarified that this directive did not apply to unauthorised constructions on public roads,...
