The Punjab & Haryana High Court has halted the Chandigarh administration's plan to demolish alleged illegal encroachments in front of the High Court premises until the next hearing. The demolition order, scheduled for July 29 and July 30, was set aside by a bench comprising Justice G.S Sandhawalia and Justice Harpreet Kaur Jeewan.
The court responded to a plea filed by the Punjab & Haryana Bar Association, challenging the administration's order to remove the illegal encroachments and 'Dhabas' from the government land opposite the High Court. The court's February 27 order had previously directed the administration to respond to a PIL seeking the removal of these encroachments.
The bench noted that the administration seemed to be proceeding with the demolition without completing the necessary pleadings. It emphasized that the premises of the High Court receive a substantial number of people, including staff, advocates, litigants, and officials attending court proceedings. Disrupting the current arrangement without making alternative arrangements or framing guidelines could be inappropriate at this stage.
Considering the significance of the issue, the court directed the administration to come up with suggestions on how to streamline the system, including addressing parking problems and providing facilities for the estimated 30,000 people who visit the premises daily.
Advocate Prithviraj Yadav filed the PIL, alleging illegal encroachments in the High Court premises for commercial activities. The plea highlighted concerns about potential threats to the environment and national security due to the presence of unattended steel iron boxes that could be exploited by anti-national outfits. It also mentioned the dumping of garbage in nearby forest areas and the open sale of various items on footpaths.
The matter is now adjourned to August 29 for further consideration. The stay order ensures that the demolition of dhabas and encroachments will not proceed until the court has fully examined the issue and taken all relevant factors into account.
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