Supreme Court issues notice on contempt plea against Assam's Goalpara demolitions
Court has been told that the demolition exercise has predominantly targeted a minority community, while leaving out similarly placed persons from the majority community untouched.;
The Supreme Court of India has today issued notice on a contempt petition against the eviction and demolition conducted in Hasila Beel revenue village in Goalpara district of Assam.
Court has been told that the eviction and demolition exercise has predominantly targeted a minority community, while leaving out similarly placed persons from the majority community untouched, thereby constituting discriminatory implementation and carrying out of the eviction drive by the authorities concerned.
Filed by residents of the locality the plea also seeks way compensation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of demolished houses and schools. The petitioners claim to be landless people who had been residing in the Hasila Beel revenue village under Balijana Revenue Circle, Goalpara District. As per the, their forefathers had to settle in the said area about 50 to 60 years ago after losing their houses and land due to riverbank erosion of river Brahmaputra.
It is the petitioner's case that the demolitions are in violation of the Supreme Court's decision from last year laying down strict guidelines on bulldozer action.
As per the petitioners, on June 13, 2025, the Circle Officer, Balijana Revenue Circle, issued a notice directing all the occupants of Dag No. 102 and 431, which was purportedly allotted to Assam Fisheries Development Corporation in the year 2015, to remove all houses, structures, shops, buildings and crops within two days.
"No sufficient time or any opportunity of hearing was provided to the Petitioners and in an arbitrary and high handed manner the impugned notice was issued. In fact the notice was not even issued individually to the Petitioners...", top court has been told.
It has been further submitted that after a few days the authorities conducted a mass eviction and demolition drive in Hasila Beel revenue village area wherein the Petitioners have been residing affecting over around 667 families including those of the Petitioners.
"The said eviction and demolition exercise was carried out without issuance of fresh show-cause notices, without granting personal hearing and without providing adequate time for appeal or Judicial review, particularly in view of the guidelines/directions of this Hon'ble Court in regard to demolition of structures passed issued in Writ Petition (civil) No. 295 of 2022...", Supreme Court has been told.
The eviction drive also demolished around five government primary schools, violating the Right to Education under Article 21A of the Constitution and statutory protection under the Right to Education Act, 2009, the plea filed through Advocate Adeel Ahmed adds.
A direction has thus been sought to the Chief Secretary of Assam to file an affidavit explaining the steps taken to circulate and comply with the Supreme Court's guidelines.
Case Title: Nur Nabi & Ors. vs. Ravi Kota & Ors
Hearing Date: July 24, 2025
Bench: CJI Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran