India’s Supreme Court has declined to transfer proceedings concerning unauthorised construction in Delhi’s Satya Niketan from the Delhi High Court, asking the high court instead to monitor the matter at shorter intervals.
The decision came while the Supreme Court was considering a report submitted by senior advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha. Sinha is assisting the court as amicus curiae in a wider case concerning unauthorised construction across India.
The Supreme Court said it would not disturb the case’s position before the Delhi High Court, while requesting more frequent monitoring by that court. The high court is scheduled to hear the Satya Niketan matter on September 25.
The Supreme Court had briefly considered the case on September 8. At that hearing, it observed that the questions before it and those being examined by the Delhi High Court overlapped, and initially considered transferring the high-court proceedings to itself.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi government, argued that Satya Niketan was a local matter and should preferably continue under the Delhi High Court’s supervision. He told the bench that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Delhi government were committed to complying with orders issued by either court.
Sinha told the Supreme Court that action by the municipal corporation had become effective following the high court’s order. He said several properties containing construction beyond the fourth floor had been demolished.
The amicus also referred to directions issued by the Supreme Court on March 25. Those directions called on states and local authorities in major cities, including Delhi, to act against unauthorised construction.
The material before the Supreme Court therefore covered both the local Satya Niketan proceedings and the wider enforcement question being considered in the pan-India case. The bench chose to keep the Delhi proceedings in their existing forum.
The Supreme Court’s latest decision leaves the existing proceedings with the Delhi High Court while adding a request for closer and more frequent judicial monitoring.
Sources
Hindustan Times: Supreme Court leaves Satya Niketan proceedings with Delhi High Court
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Story synopsis gathered from: Hindustan Times – India News — source
