Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai has said the Supreme Court&rsquo;s ruling against arbitrary demolitions &ndash; popularly referred to as "bulldozer justice" &ndash; reinforces the constitutional promise of protecting not only civil liberties, but also the dignity, security, and material well-being of individuals.
Speaking at the Milan Courts in Italy on the topic &ldquo;Role of Constitution in Delivering Socio-Economic Justice in a Country: Reflections from 75 Years of Indian Constitution,&rdquo; CJI Gavai emphasised that demolitions carried out without due process violate Article 21, which guarantees the right to shelter.
Quoting a 2023 Supreme Court judgment, Gavai remarked, &ldquo;For an average citizen, building a house is the culmination of years of struggle and dreams. A home reflects a family's aspirations for stability and a future.&rdquo; He stressed that the executive cannot act as judge, jury, and executioner.
The top court&rsquo;s 2023 judgment in Re: Directions in the matter of demolition of structures, led by Justice Gavai and Justice K.V. Viswanathan, laid out nationwide guidelines to prevent punitive demolitions of properties linked to accused individuals, particularly before conviction.
The court directed that no demolition should take place without a show-cause notice and a 15-day implementation window. Orders must also be displayed publicly on a digital municipal portal.
The guidelines, issued under Article 142, warn that violations will lead to contempt proceedings. However, the directions do not apply to demolitions involving unauthorised structures in public spaces, or those already ordered by a court.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]
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SC Demolition Guidelines Uphold Citizens’ Dignity: CJI Gavai

CJI Gavai defends Supreme Court’s stand against arbitrary demolitions, citing Article 21 safeguards

SC Demolition Guidelines Uphold Citizens’ Dignity: CJI Gavai

CJI Gavai defends Supreme Court’s stand against arbitrary demolitions, citing Article 21 safeguards

June 19, 2025 | 17:02 IST