Supreme Court to hear petitions challenging the demolition

Six former Supreme Court and High Court judges, as well as six senior advocates, have petitioned the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance of the recent acts of bulldozing residences of those who protested in Prayagraj in response to objectionable remarks made by certain BJP spokespersons.

Justices B. Sudarshan Reddy, V. Gopala Gowda, A.K. Ganguly, A.P. Shah, K. Chandru, and Mohammed Anwar, as well as veteran advocates Shanti Bhushan, Indira Jaisingh, Chander Uday Singh, Sriram Panchu, Prashant Bhushan, and Anand Grover, signed the petition, which cited reports of violence and repression by the authorities on citizens in Uttar Pradesh.

They claimed that rather than allowing protesters to be heard, the U.P. administration appears to have sanctioned violent actions against them.

According to the petition, the state Chief minister directed that the National Security Act of 1980 and the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act of 1986 be used to prosecute the protesters.

The petition stated that the judiciary’s mettle is being tested in such critical times and urged the Supreme Court to take immediate suo motu action to arrest the deteriorating law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, specifically involving the high-handedness of the police and State authorities, as well as the brutal clampdown on citizens’ fundamental rights.