The Supreme Court has banned bulldozer action on illegal construction in Sonapur, Assam. Apart from this, there is also a ban on the removal of people settled there. The bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Vishwanathan on Monday issued a notice to the Assam government and sought its reply within three weeks. Recently, the Supreme Court had banned the bulldozer action till October 1. Meanwhile, after the action was taken in Assam, an application was filed in the Supreme Court, in which it was alleged that the Assam government was contempt of the apex court. Hearing this, the Supreme Court has issued a notice to Himanta Biswa Sarma.
A petition was filed in the Supreme Court on behalf of 48 people on whom the Assam government had started the bulldozer action. These people are accused of carrying out illegal construction. These people said in their petition that when the Supreme Court has banned bulldozer action on someone’s house till October 1, then why has this action been taken. Doing this is also a kind of contempt of the court. On this, the Supreme Court has now sought a reply from the Assam government in three weeks and till then has put a stay on the action.
Earlier, in its order given on September 17, the court had said that bulldozer action should not be carried out without the permission of the court. However, the bench had then also said that there is no need to take such permission for action against illegal construction on roads, railway lines and other public places. Sonapur falls on the outskirts of Guwahati and is in Kamrup district. The district administration has identified illegal construction at many places in this area. The administration says that houses have been built here by encroaching on the land of tribal area.
While filing the application of these people of Sonapur against this, lawyer Adil Ahmed said that no notice was given to their houses in advance. They were suddenly declared illegal constructions and bulldozers were sent. These people say that we have power of attorney for this area. Therefore we have the right to build.