'Deal humanly with them': SC orders Centre to stop eviction of Sarojini Nagar jhuggi dwellers

The bench comprising Justice KM Joseph and Justice Hrishikesh Roy was hearing the petition filed by jhuggi dwellers of Sarojini Nagar area challenging the eviction orders without any scheme for rehabilitation in place.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed for a week the proposed demolition of around 200 jhuggis (shanties) at Sarojini Nagar in the national capital. A bench of Justices K M Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy took note of the submissions of senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for minor Vaishali, a jhuggi resident whose 10th board examinations are starting on April 26, that thousands of people will be ousted without any other rehabilitation scheme in place.

“No coercive steps be taken till the next date of hearing,” said the bench. The interim stay on demolition, granted by the Delhi High Court earlier, was ending on Monday. On Friday, a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana had taken note of the submissions that the plea needed an urgent hearing in view of the imminent threat of demolition of jhuggis.

Senior Advocate Vikas Singh appearing for dwellers argued before the court that there are more than one thousand people living in the jhuggis. "...they will have to go somewhere, they all have jobs, they have to live here, they can't be left in the air," he said adding that board exams are starting and two of the petitioners are taking the exam.

Additional Solicitor General KM Natraj submitted that showing documents that the jhuggis have been there for some time doesn't give the dwellers any kind of right. The apex court said that people from all over India are residing there. "Deal with them humanly when you deal with them. As a model government, you can't say you won't have a policy and simply throw them away. You're dealing with families..", the bench told Additional Solicitor General.

ASG Natraj raised an objection toward the petitioner seeking relief for everyone in the garb of PIL. "Being a petitioner himself he can't say he is seeking for others as well," argued the ASG. The court said that this case has implications for all. "You may be right in saying that out of 1000 some came 40 years back, some 20 years back and some came yesterday. But could you do that exercise and do demolition? That's the tricky submission," said Justice Roy.

Court also told the ASG that jhuggi dwellers have rights and the government is not taking timely actions as well. Court will take up the matter again on May 2.