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Four weeks' stay on slum demolitions

Siddharth Narrain

Stay operative until next hearing of main petition questioning validity of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Delhi Government not to demolish the slum cluster at Nangla Machi in the Capital for four weeks.

Nangla Machi, situated at the Bhairon Marg T-junction near Pragati Maidan, houses nearly 7,000 persons.

The Court was hearing a writ petition filed by five residents of Nangla Machi asking for a stay of impending demolition of the slum cluster.

A two-Judge vacation Bench comprising Justice A.R. Lakshmanan and Justice Altamas Kabir said the stay would be operative for a period of four weeks until the next date of hearing of the main petition questioning the validity of the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006, as well as on the interim application seeking a stay on the operation of the Act.

The main petition challenging the legality of the Act will be heard by a Bench headed by Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal on July 17.

The petitioners argued that demolition of the slum cluster would violate their right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

They contended that residents of Nangla Machi supply a major chunk of the major workforce in Delhi, and make a significant contribution to the city's economic life.

The Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act envisages a one-year moratorium on demolition of all unauthorised and illegal constructions including those of slums, and on the sealing of commercial establishments in residential areas of the city.

It seeks to maintain the status quo as on January 1, 2006.

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