High Court questions Nagpur officials' ignorance of Supreme Court bulldozer ruling

The Nagpur division of the Bombay High Court, hearing a writ petition from relatives of a Mahal riots accused, criticized Nagpur Municipal Corporation officials for claiming ignorance of the Supreme Court’s bulldozer judgment. The judges highlighted that the ruling, issued on November 13, 2024, mandated a 15-day notice before demolition, a detail that had been reported in every newspaper. Despite this, an IAS officer and other senior officials said they lacked knowledge of the decision and a circular conveying it.

The court ordered each officer to file an affidavit by September 4, either reaffirming their prior statement or providing a corrected position. Earlier, the civic body admitted it had no record of immediate demolitions after notice expiry in the previous ten years, raising questions about its overall compliance with court directives. The High Court’s directive aims to ensure future adherence to the Supreme Court’s procedural requirements.