The Bombay High Court recently granted interim protection to slum dwellers from Chembur against demolition orders issued under the Maharashtra Slum Area (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971 on account of the ongoing Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Mumbai. [Deepak Vithal Adhav and Ors v. The State of Maharashtra and Ors]
Justice Sandeep K Shinde, without going into the merits, granted interim relief to the petitioners in consideration of the ongoing festival and directed authorities to not take coercive action until September 24.
“In consideration of the fact that since Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated widely in Mumbai, authorities shall not take any coercive action, in respect of notice structures, till 24th September, 2022. Thus clarified that the Court has not heard the Petitioners on merits but for the reasons stated above, time being protection has been granted,” he stated.
The matter will be next heard on September 21.
In July this year, the petitioners were issued demolition notices under under Sections 33 and 38 of the Act.
They appealed to the Apex Grievance Redressal Committee, Mumbai, which declined to stay the execution of the notices. Apprehending demolition before their appeal was addressed, they approached the High Court.
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