Supreme Court questions 'bulldozer justice,' proposes pan-India guidelines for demolition
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has expressed serious concerns over the practice of demolishing homes linked to accused or convicted individuals in criminal cases, commonly referred to as 'bulldozer justice.' During a hearing, the court questioned the legality of such actions, emphasising that demolitions should only occur if the property is illegal.
Justice BR Gavai, part of the bench, stated, "How can a house be demolished just because it belongs to an accused or even a convict?" The court hinted at establishing pan-India guidelines to streamline demolition procedures, ensuring actions align with municipal laws.
The bench, also comprising Justice KV Viswanathan, stressed the importance of due process, suggesting that before any demolition, proper notices should be served, and legal remedies should be provided.
Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, representing the petitioner, urged the court to curb the growing trend of 'bulldozer justice.' Solicitor General Tushar Mehta clarified that no property should be demolished solely because of criminal accusations against the owner, further stating that the issue was being misrepresented in the court.
The court will continue hearing the matter on September 17, seeking suggestions to address the issue comprehensively.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
