The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has issued a notice to the Union Territory administration in response to a writ petition seeking ₹5 crore in compensation for the alleged unlawful demolition of a commercial structure and the infringement of the petitioner’s right to livelihood, as reported by Live Law.
A bench led by Justice Rahul Bharti examined the plea from Farooq Ahamad Wani, who expressed that the District Administration had demolished his property using heavy machinery “without following due process,” resulting in significant financial loss and the deprivation of his means of livelihood.
Wani claims his possession of the land is supported by an agreement dated March 8, 2018, with the original allottee of the State land. He cited a Supreme Court judgment (In Re: Directions in the matter of demolition of structures, W.P. (C) No. 295 of 2022), asserting that the safeguards established by the apex court were not adhered to during the demolition.
Beyond compensation, the petition seeks orders for the reconstruction of the demolished property, an investigation against the responsible officials, and a strict requirement for due process in any future demolitions within the Union Territory.
The High Court has ordered that status quo be maintained at the demolished site, prohibiting any construction or reconstruction activities unless modified by objections from the respondents. The notice was accepted by the Senior Additional Advocate General on behalf of the UT administration, with the matter scheduled for further hearing on January 31, 2026.
In India, the phenomenon of using bulldozers for property demolition, often referred to as “bulldozer justice,” has drawn considerable criticism for circumventing due process, particularly concerning properties associated with accused individuals or minority communities.
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