Sahara Group dubs LDA`s demolition drive again as illegal June 23, 2008
Posted by google in : latest news , trackbackLucknow, June 23: Within hours of Supreme Court ordering status quo on demolition of Sahara Saher, the Lucknow Development Authority on Monday started pulling down a temporary structure at the property, an action which Sahara Group dubbed as “illegal” and threatened to move the apex court against it.
LDA began demolishing temporary outer walls erected in Sahara Saher this evening in the presence of the authority’s Vice Chairman Ram Bahadur and Secretary S S Mishra.
The development took place within hours of the Supreme Court earlier in the day directing that “all the parties are directed to maintain status quo as of today with regard to subject matter of the SLP and the orders passed by the HC.”
After today’s demolition, a Sahara Group spokesperson said in a statement that it “will approach Supreme Court for taking appropriate action against the high handed, illegal and arbitrary action of officers of LDA.”
Following the SC direction to both the parties to maintain status quo, it informed “LDA and other authorities about existing status and requested to maintain the status quo,” the statement added.
“However, suddenly at about 6:45 pm -7:00 pm, on 23rd June, 2008 the Vice Chairman, LDA accompanied by other officers along with police force and about 200 workers came on the spot and again carried out demolition of the tin sheet boundary showing utter disregard and disrespect to orders of hon’ble High Court and hon’ble Supreme Court,” the group said.
The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court, which last week stayed demolition in Sahara Saher, had allowed the company to barricade the commercial property.
LDA officials, when contacted, termed the temporary construction in the Shaher as illegal. “All construction inside the Sahara Shaher are without approval of maps by the LDA”, the authority officials said.
The Sahara spokesperson had earlier in the day said that the Supreme Court had ordered both the parties to maintain status quo as it exists today. “In compliance with this order of status quo, the position of the site as it exists today cannot be changed by either party till the next hearing.”
Earlier in the day, Sahara India Commercial Corporation Ltd in separate letters to the police and LDA asked them to remove policemen deployed at the property and ensure compliance of the supreme court order for status quo.
“Very recently, a posse of policemen have been deployed at the premises in question without any justification and authority and is also creating an atmosphere of anxiety… The said action is also against the letter and spirit and import of the orders passed by the High Court as well as the Supreme Court.
“Therefore, in the light of the above, it is requested that… may ensure immediate, necessary action for the removal of the police force deployed at the premises,” the company wrote to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Lucknow.
In the letter to LDA Chairman and others, written after the Supreme Court order today and before the latest demolition drive began, the company contended that the temporary fencing “cannot be subjected to removal and the possession already taken cannot be disturbed.”
“You are requested to ensure the compliance of the Supreme Court order (of status quo),” SICCL said in the communication.
Bureau Report
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