Allahabad High Court Orders Removal of Illegal Encroachments in Lucknow

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has mandated the removal of remaining illegal structures surrounding the district and sessions court in Lucknow. This directive was issued following a hearing on September 10 involving two petitions concerning ongoing encroachments in the area. The judicial division, comprising Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Justice Rajeev Bharati, noted the efforts that had already been made, which included the removal of 14 initial illegal constructions and an additional 57 structures. A report submitted by the zonal officer of Zone-1 of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation, along with photographic evidence, outlined these earlier removals. Despite the progress, the court determined that additional work remained to be done, urging local authorities to complete the removal of encroachments within a five-week timeframe if feasible. In a prior ruling, the bench had instructed that 72 encroachers be given one final opportunity to either vacate their chambers or shops or justify their claims for legal occupancy. The court stated that failure to take action would lead to the demolition of the illegal structures. Furthermore, the judges instructed that if direct notices could not be delivered, public announcements should be made in both Hindi and English newspapers, allowing affected individuals a minimum of ten days to respond to the pending actions. The court also mandated the involvement of key local officials, including the district magistrate, the police commissioner, and the municipal commissioner, to provide the necessary administrative and police support during the operation. This move is intended to ensure that the process occurs without incident. A subsequent hearing is scheduled for October 26 to review the progress of these directives.