Give land back to Sahara group: HC to Mayawati
It’s been a season of close shaves for the Sahara group.
By TNN |
Lucknow: It���s been a season of close shaves for the Sahara group. First, it won a reprieve from the RBI that had disallowed Sahara India Financial Corporation Ltd (SIFCL) from accepting fresh deposits from investors and then rescinded that order.
On Thursday, the Allahabad high court pulled up the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) for ordering demolition of large portions of Sahara Shahar and ordered the Mayawati���s government to restore the possession of the land to Sahara group.
While LDA standing counsel P N Gupta said the civic body will file a special leave petition in the Supreme Court against the order, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad HC���s censure is pretty strong. Describing Wednesday night���s demolition job at Sahara Shahar as a "blatant abuse of power by LDA officials", the court said the group could make necessary constructions on the said land to safeguard its property.
However, it added a caveat saying any construction by Sahara would be subject to final outcome of the regular suits against it pending in local civil courts.
Without any prior notice, LDA bulldozed the Sahara property to clear alleged encroachment on a zonal road that is part of Lucknow���s Master Plan. The exercise took place in presence of heavy security armed with tear gas and in riot control gear. Onlookers were cleared out from the vicinity.
Taking serious note of earlier demolition drives by the state government in wee hours, a vacation bench comprising Justices Devi Prasad Singh and Bala Krishna Narayana directed that henceforth the administration "would not initiate to demolish any building or structure whether it belongs to public body, corporation or state without passing and serving a written order in advance before 9 am and after 5 pm" .
UP chief secretary has thus been directed to issue a circular within 24-hours that no demolition drive shall be undertaken before 9 am and after 5 pm and asked him to submit the compliance report in the court by Friday.
On Thursday, the Allahabad high court pulled up the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) for ordering demolition of large portions of Sahara Shahar and ordered the Mayawati���s government to restore the possession of the land to Sahara group.
While LDA standing counsel P N Gupta said the civic body will file a special leave petition in the Supreme Court against the order, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad HC���s censure is pretty strong. Describing Wednesday night���s demolition job at Sahara Shahar as a "blatant abuse of power by LDA officials", the court said the group could make necessary constructions on the said land to safeguard its property.
However, it added a caveat saying any construction by Sahara would be subject to final outcome of the regular suits against it pending in local civil courts.
Without any prior notice, LDA bulldozed the Sahara property to clear alleged encroachment on a zonal road that is part of Lucknow���s Master Plan. The exercise took place in presence of heavy security armed with tear gas and in riot control gear. Onlookers were cleared out from the vicinity.
Taking serious note of earlier demolition drives by the state government in wee hours, a vacation bench comprising Justices Devi Prasad Singh and Bala Krishna Narayana directed that henceforth the administration "would not initiate to demolish any building or structure whether it belongs to public body, corporation or state without passing and serving a written order in advance before 9 am and after 5 pm" .
ADVERTISEMENT
UP chief secretary has thus been directed to issue a circular within 24-hours that no demolition drive shall be undertaken before 9 am and after 5 pm and asked him to submit the compliance report in the court by Friday.
Download
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
ADVERTISEMENT
