'Bulldozer justice unacceptable, unknown to any civilized system': Supreme Court
In his last judgment before retirement, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud vehemently denounced "bulldozer justice," stating that such justice is "unknown to any civilized system of jurisprudence." He cautioned against selective demolitions as acts of reprisal and emphasized that state officials involved in such actions must be held accountable. "If high handed and unlawful behaviour is permitted by any wing or officer..., demolition of citizens' properties will take place as a selective reprisal for extraneous reason," he said.
Chandrachud emphasizes protection of citizens' homes
"Citizens' voices cannot be throttled by a threat of destroying their properties and homesteads. The ultimate security which a human being possesses is to the homestead," the Supreme Court said. The verdict was pronounced in a case concerning the demolition of a house in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district in 2019. The SC bench also instructed the UP government to pay ₹25 lakh compensation to a man whose house was demolished in 2019 for a road-widening project.
Chandrachud calls for procedural safeguards
Further, the Supreme Court instructed the UP Chief Secretary to conduct an investigation into the house demolition case in Maharajganj district and take appropriate measures. It said that if an encroachment is found, the state must notify the encroacher to remove it, and if the authenticity and validity of the notice are challenged, the state must issue a "speaking order" in accordance with natural justice principles.
Chandrachud's tenure marked by landmark judgments
Justice Chandrachud's term as Chief Justice started in November 2022 and ended with his retirement on November 10, 2024. During his tenure at the Supreme Court, he wrote several landmark judgments, including on privacy, same-sex relationships, and adultery. Justice Sanjiv Khanna took over as the new CJI. He will serve for just more than six months as Chief Justice of India. He'll retire on May 13, 2025.
