Sector 24 booth-demolition stayed

CHANDIGARH, July 15: The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the proceedings regarding the demolition of two Sector 24 shops after...

CHANDIGARH, July 15: The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the proceedings regarding the demolition of two Sector 24 shops after the same was stayed by the Supreme Court of India.

Pronouncing the orders, Justice Swatanter Kumar of the High Court observed that no further action was called for as the Administration would be entitled to the benefit of the Supreme Court order.

Earlier during the proceedings, Justice Kumar issued notice of contempt to UT Estate Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Ramshekhar asking him as to why he should not be directed to pay compensation from his salary for violating the orders of the court.

The notice was issued after the Estate Officer did not turn up in the court at 10 a.m. as directed. Later in the afternoon, Justice Kumar held that no further action was called for in light of the Supreme Court order.

The direction was passed after the Estate Officer submitted the Supreme Court8217;s order. The order read: quot;Interim order to continue. We further stay that part of the order of the High Court in so far as it directs the demolition of two booths, 189 and 190, in Sector 24 and also the direction which required the construction of a traffic island in the said sector.quot;

After going through the order, Justice Kumar observed that the Supreme Court had stayed the construction of the traffic island, quot;which was not in the order as it was already in existence for the last 20 yearsquot;. Justice Kumar also asked for listing of the case for July 19.

The High Court on July 13 had ordered the demolition of two shops by the next day, besides quot;making the road re-operativequot; in Sector 24.

Story continues below this ad

Justice Swatanter Kumar had observed: quot;I have heard the Estate Officer at length. All the points raised by him were duly considered by this court by a detailed order. The Honourable Supreme Court has already vacated the stay in regard to the implementation of the directionquot;.

Justice Kumar had further observed: quot;I see no public interest is being served. In fact, it is only an attempt to somehow wriggle out of the directions of the Court because the compensation of Rs 60,000 is to be recovered from the officers, who were responsible for creating chaos. In any case, there is no review before this court, which otherwise also is not maintainable, as the stay has already been vacated by the Honourable Supreme Courtquot;.

The High Court, it may be recalled, in the order pronounced on July 9 last year, ordered the demolition of two shops constructed on the road in Sector 24 and the restoration of the road to the original as they were a hindrance to the free flow of traffic.

The court had further made helmets compulsory for both men and women riders and those on the pillion. Persons wearing turbans had, however, been granted exemption.