‘Follow Due Process’: Allahabad HC Stays Demolition Drive Against 27 Houses in Bareilly
Court said demolition notices must be decided only after personal hearings and a reasoned order
Allahabad High Court stays Bareilly Municipal Corporation's demolition notice against 27 Shahabad houses
The Allahabad high court has stayed coercive action against 27 houses in Bareilly’s Shahabad (Prem Nagar) area, directing the municipal authorities to decide the October 9 demolition notices only after giving individual hearings to the residents.
The division bench of Justices Ajit Kumar and Satya Veer Singh passed the order on November 13 while disposing of a petition filed by the affected residents, including one Mohammed Shahid.
The petitioners had challenged the notices that labelled their homes as illegal constructions and directed them to remove the structures within 15 days. They told the court that the Bareilly Municipal Corporation had been collecting municipal taxes from them for years, and that the notices were issued without affording them an opportunity to explain their stand.
During the hearing, counsel for the civic body submitted that some residents had already filed replies and that the authority was willing to decide the notices in accordance with law.
Recording this statement, court directed each petitioner to file an individual reply within four weeks. It further directed the competent authority to conclude the proceedings within two months by passing a reasoned and speaking order after granting a personal hearing.
The bench said that no coercive action shall be taken against the petitioners’ standing constructions for three months from the date of the order or until the authority decides the matter, whichever is earlier.
Court also directed the Additional Chief Standing Counsel and the municipal counsel to inform the district authorities immediately to ensure that the order is complied with on the ground.
As per media reports, in October, the Bareilly Municipal Corporation served notices to residents, saying the 27 houses had been constructed unlawfully on municipal land and cautioning that FIRs and recovery of demolition expenses could be initiated.
The move followed the September 26 violence near Islamia Grounds during protests over the ‘I Love Muhammad’ controversy, after which authorities began a drive against what they described as unauthorised structures and violations associated with cleric Tauqeer Raza and his supporters.
Case Title: Mohd. Shahid And 7 Others vs State of UP And 3 Others
Order Date: November 13, 2025
Bench: Justices Ajit Kumar and Satya Veer Singh