SC to hear Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind's plea against Jahangirpuri demolition drive on Thursday

New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) The Supreme Court will on Thursday hear a petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind against the demolition drive being carried out by the Municipal Corporation against the alleged encroachers in northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri area, where communal clashes broke out on Hanuman Jayanti.

A bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and B.R. Gavai will hear the plea.

Earlier in the day, senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the plea filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind questioning the validity of demolition launched after riots in several BJP-ruled states, including Madhya Pradesh's Khargone.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and also comprising Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli, had agreed to list it with the Jahangirpuri matter on Thursday.

Prior to that, the bench had ordered status quo on the demolition drive and agreed to list the matter for hearing on Thursday before an appropriate bench.

"A number of ministers and legislators, including the Chief Minister and the Home Minister of the state of Madhya Pradesh, have made statements advocating such acts and especially threatened the minority groups with destruction of their homes and commercial properties in case of riots. Resorting to such measures/ actions is clearly against our constitutional ethos and the criminal justice system, as also in violation of the rights of accused persons," said the plea by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind.

During the course of the hearing, mentioning the demolition matter before the CJI-headed bench, Senior advocate Dushyant Dave said there is something serious that requires the top court's immediate intervention.

"Completely unauthorised and unconstitutional demolition has been ordered in the Jahangirpuri area...with no notice to anybody," he said.

Later, again in the day, Dave mentioned the matter, saying despite the top court's order, the Municipal Corporation has not stopped the demolition drive.The Chief Justice asked the registry to communicate the court's status quo order on the demolition drive to the respondents in the matter -- NDMC Commissioner, Mayor, and Delhi Police Commissioner -- mentioned by Dave.