Supreme Court warns Uttar Pradesh government over bulldozer action
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has indirectly cautioned the Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, warning that the state risks violating court orders if it proceeds with bulldozer action in Bahraich. The case involves demolition notices issued after communal violence on October 13, where the court clarified that it would not intervene if the properties are illegal but expressed concern over potential violations.
A bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan has instructed the state not to take any action before the next hearing, scheduled for tomorrow. The petitioners' lawyer, Senior Advocate CU Singh, highlighted that the demolition notices were issued after the violence and that responses were required within three days. He argued that no protection had been granted to those served with notices.
The Allahabad High Court had earlier extended the response deadline to 15 days, with the Supreme Court questioning the state government’s actions despite this order. The court is currently hearing multiple petitions against the practice of "bulldozer justice," where properties of criminal suspects are targeted for demolition.
In the Bahraich incident, communal clashes erupted after objections to loud music near a mosque during Durga Puja idol immersion, resulting in arson, vandalism, and the death of Ram Gopal Mishra. Authorities have arrested 104 people in connection with the violence, and demolition notices have sparked fear among local residents.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
