Punjab and Haryana HC pulls up Sirsa official for demolishing jhuggis, official assures to restore status within 1 week

The matter pertains to the petition filed by over a dozen people who claim that they “don’t have even an inch of land on this earth” and had been living in jhuggis in a village in Sirsa for years. For the past several years, they have been seeking benefit from Haryana government under the Gramin Awas Yojanas that ensure free plots to the “poorest of the poor”.

After hearing the contempt petition, the HC Tuesday ordered “status quo ante” [the previously existing state of affairs]. Following which, the official (Sarthak who carried out the demolition of jhuggis assured the HC that the “status quo ante” would be restored “within one week”). The court has directed that the matter be listed in the “urgent list” on August 13.

Calling it a “blatant violation” of the orders passed by the Division Bench, Justice Alka Sarin stated, “Learned counsel for the petitioners would contend that the directions given vide order dated 09.08.2023 passed in CWP-2672-2020 have not been complied with. The respondents in blatant violation of orders passed by the Division Bench of this Court and after the notice had been issued in the present contempt petition on 11.07.2025; on 17.07.2025 around 3 pm respondent Nos 5 and 6 accompanied by the police personnel arrived at the site and forcibly demolished the jhuggis (huts) of the petitioners without any prior notice or adherence to the process of law”.

“Learned counsel for the petitioners has further pointed out that the said officer i.e. respondent No.5 herein, namely, Sarthak Srivastava (wrongly mentioned as Sombir Kadyan in the memo of parties and the same be corrected by the Registry), Block Development & Panchayat Officer, Sirsa was shown a copy of the order passed in the present contempt petition as well as the earlier orders passed in the civil writ petition. However, despite being made aware of the orders, he carried out the demolition. Photographs and video recording have been placed on the record and learned counsel for the petitioners has pointed out to one of the photographs where Sarthak Srivastava – is also seen standing at the spot,” Justice Sarin added.

Referring to further points raised by petitioners’ counsels Advocate Vivek K Thakur and Akshit Pathania wherein they showed that the Division Bench’s orders were duly communicated to the officials, Justice Sarin stated – “It is not a case where the officer was not in the knowledge of the orders passed by the Division Bench of this Court and the fact that the notice had already been issued in the contempt petition”.

The case dates back to the year 2020, when petitioners approached the HC stating that they are members of Bhatt community residing in jhuggis for the last three decades constructed in village Bharokhan of Sirsa district with the permission of gram panchayat. The petitioners claimed that despite being beneficiaries under the Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojana launched by the state of Haryana in 2008 to provide free residential plots of 100 square yards to SCs/ BCs (A) and BPL families, they were excluded solely on the ground that they were already residing on panchayat land.

Hearing their petition, the HC in August, 2023 had directed Haryana government’s officials to decide the petitioners’ representations within two months. It was also ordered that Assistant Collector shall not pronounce any judgment under Section 7 of the Punjab Village Common Lands Regulation Act, 1961 until such decision is taken.

“Despite the directions, the respondents failed to take any action on the petitioners’ representations and in blatant violation of the Hon’ble High Court’s order, yet demolished the petitioners’ jhuggis. A legal notice was also sent to the respondents, but yet no action was taken. This is why we moved the Contempt Petition against the officials of the state government,” Advocate Thakur told The Indian Express.