The Supreme Court on Wednesday (November 13, 2024) gave its verdict on the petitions filed against bulldozer action in various states and called it a wrong approach. Justice Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai, while giving the verdict, quoted poet Pradeep's poem and explained what is the importance of a home for someone and what happens to the entire family when it breaks. He said that demolishing the house of an accused or a culprit is a punishment for the entire family.
Justice Gavai, quoting poet Pradeep's poem, said, 'Home is a dream, which can never be broken.' The poet has said the poem in this way – 'Having one's own house, one's own courtyard, everyone lives in this dream. It is the desire of the human heart that the dream of a house should never be lost. The court said that it is wrong to demolish the house of the accused or the culprit. Someone's house cannot be demolished merely because that person is accused or guilty of some crime. Justice Gavai has said many important and big things in the decision.
The bench of Justice Gavai and Justice KV Vishwanathan heard the case and gave the verdict. He said that the accountability of those officers who take the law into their hands and act uncontrollably should also be fixed. The court made another important comment in the decision and said that any action like demolishing the house of an accused or a convict is a punishment for the entire family.
The Supreme Court said that allowing such action by the executive is against the rule of law and it is also against the principle of separation of powers because it is the job of the judiciary to pass sentence. Justice Gavai has also said in the judgment that it is not the job of the government to convict anyone and if someone's house is demolished merely on allegations, it will be an attack on the basic principle of rule of law.
Justice Gavai said that the government has no right to become a judge and give a decision to demolish the property of an accused. He said that if suddenly a property is marked for demolition, while other similar properties are not even touched, then it is clear that the purpose is not to demolish illegal property, but to punish without trial.
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SC bluntly on bulldozer action, said- government power should not be misused
