New Delhi:

In a landmark judgment yesterday, the Supreme Court demolished the idea of ‘bulldozer justice’ that several state governments had unleashed against accused in heinous criminal cases. The bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan took a tough stand against such actions, holding that the Executive cannot cannot replace the Judiciary and the legal process should not prejudge the guilt of an accused. But laws, precedents and doctrines aside, it was idea of ‘home’ that was at the heart of this judgment.

The 95-page order started with four lines of a Hindi poem by Kavi Pradeep, who penned the timeless “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon” as a tribute to soldiers killed in the 1962 Sino-Indian War. The four lines in the court’s order were: “Apna ghar ho, apna aangan ho, is khwab mein har koi jita hai, insaan ke dil ki yeh chahat hai, ki ek ghar ka sapna kabhi na chute”. The lines roughly translate to: “It is everyone’s dream to have a home, a courtyard. No one wants to lose the dream for a home.”

The court noted in its order that for an average citizen, the construction of a house is often the culmination of years of hard work, dreams, and aspirations. “A house is not just a property but embodies the collective hopes of a family or individuals for stability, security, and a future. Having a house or a roof over one’s head gives satisfaction to any person. It gives a sense of dignity and a sense of belonging. If this is to be taken away, then the authority must be satisfied that this is the only option available,” it said.

The Work Behind The Judgment

The Supreme Court’s judgments and observations run as short breaking news flashes and social media posts. But these do not wholly encapsulate the hard work that goes into penning these orders. It took Justice Gavai and Justice Viswanathan 44 days to prepare this 95-page judgment, according to sources. The sources said the two judges held several meetings and decided that this judgment would have a bearing on the lives of crores of people, most of them from underprivileged sections that are powerless before the might of the State and excesses such as ‘bulldozer justice’. So the judgment, the judges agreed, must be written in a way that reaches and connects with the common citizen, the sources said.

Justice Gavai, who is the next in line for the Chief Justice post, sat hours looking for a poem that resonates with the idea of ‘shelter’ that the judges wanted to capture in the order, the sources said. Eventually, he found the lines by Pradeep that opened the key judgment. The lines set the tone for the judgment that stressed on the right to shelter and summed up that this was not a case about structures and their legality, but the people living in them.

The Precedents – And Lord Denning’s Lines

If the idea of ‘home’ was at the heart of this judgment, its brain was backed by legal precedents and landmark verdicts. The judges included an observation by British judge Lord Denning, who Margaret Thatcher had described as “probably the greatest English judge of modern times”. In one of his judgments, Lord Denning had said, “The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the forces of the Crown. It may be frail – its roof may shake – the wind may blow through it – the storm may enter – the rain may enter – but the King of England cannot enter – all his force dares not cross the threshold of the ruined tenement.’ So be it – unless he has justification by law.”

The lines reflected the bench’s view on the State’s right to deprive a family of its shelter as a penalty against someone accused of a crime.

The court later noted in its judgment, “The chilling sight of a bulldozer demolishing a building, when authorities have failed to follow the basic principles of natural justice and have acted without adhering to the principle of due process, reminds one of a lawless state of affairs, where ‘might was right’,” it said, adding that such “high-handed and arbitrary actions” have no place in our Constitution.

Key judgments the court referred to included the Raj Narain vs Indira Gandhi case, the Bilkis Bano case and the Aadhaar verdict. The judges, sources said, researched for over a month as they prepared the order that dealt with the separation of powers, the rule of law, the rights of accused, right to shelter and accountability of officers.

The judges agreed that the order must be penned in a manner so that the court’s direction do not just remain on paper, but are applied on the ground. According to sources, Justice Gavai and Justice Viswanathan were of the view that this verdict would impact lives of those at the bottom of the social pyramid and they must have adequate safeguards against arbitrary actions by the State. This formed the basis of the judgment laying down that officers found to violate the top court’s guidelines on demolition would face contempt proceedings. They would have to pay damages and restore the property at their cost.

New Delhi:

Yogi Adityanath and Akhilesh Yadav traded ‘bulldozer’ barbs this week after the Samajwadi Party leader’s jibe Tuesday about re-directing heavy earth-movers – the symbol of ‘justice’ meted out by BJP-ruled states, where bulldozers illegally wreck property belonging to accused in criminal cases – to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s home district of Gorakhpur after the 2027 state election.

The retort came Wednesday. Only people with a “bulldozer-like capability” could operate the machines, Yogi Adityanath said, “Not everyone’s hands can fit… it requires both heart and mind.”

He also swiped at his rival’s ‘Tipu’ sobriquet; “… now ‘Tipu’ is trying to become a ‘sultan’,” he said at a private event in Lucknow, referring to the 18th century ruler of the former Kingdom of Mysore – a figure at the centre of the BJP’s Hindu vs Muslim narrative before last year’s Karnataka election.

The Chief Minister also called Mr Yadav’s chances of winning the ’27 UP poll a “daydream”, and accused his predecessor and his uncle, Shivpal Yadav, of extorting money during his term.

The counter (to the counter) was fired within hours. On X Mr Yadav posted: “If you and your bulldozer are so successful, form a separate party and contest elections with a bulldozer as the symbol.”

“Your illusions and pride will be shattered…” Mr Yadav chuckled online, predicting defeat for Yogi Adityanath, who is widely seen as one of the most powerful figures within the BJP and even a potential prime ministerial candidate. That possible elevation, however, was dismissed by Mr Yadav.

अगर आप और आपका बुलडोज़र इतना ही सफल है तो अलग पार्टी बनाकर ‘बुलडोज़र’ चुनाव चिन्ह लेकर चुनाव लड़ जाइए। आपका भ्रम भी टूट जाएगा और घमंड भी। वैसे भी आपके जो हालात हैं, उसमें आप भाजपा में होते हुए भी ‘नहीं’ के बराबर ही हैं, अलग पार्टी तो आपको आज नहीं तो कल बनानी ही पड़ेगी।

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) September 4, 2024

“… in your current situation, even if you are in the BJP, it (a tilt at the Prime Minister’s post) is as good as a ‘no’,” he said, “You will have to form a separate party… if not today then tomorrow.”

Yadav Kickstarts Bulldozer Battle

The squabble broke after Mr Yadav’s gibe Tuesday.

“As soon as BJP is wiped out (in UP after the Assembly election) and the Samajwadi government is formed, the bulldozers of the entire state will head towards Gorakhpur,” the opposition leader said.

READ | “How Can House Be Demolished…” Court On ‘Bulldozer Justice’

Akhilesh Yadav’s ‘bulldozer’ digs came hours after a key observation by the Supreme Court.

The court questioned the idea of ‘bulldozer justice’ and wanted to know how a building could be demolished simply because it belongs to an accused, or even a convict, in a criminal case.

The observation was significant given the frequency with which BJP-ruled states bulldozed buildings of individuals accused in criminal cases; recent examples cited in court included the demolition a home in Rajasthan’s Jaipur because the owner’s son had stabbed a classmate. A bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan took a dim view of the controversial practice.

“Is Land For His Residence Approved?” Yadav’s Jibe

This afternoon Mr Yadav followed up Tuesday’s jab with a pointed question at the Uttar Pradesh government, demanding an apology from the state for houses and buildings bulldozed till now, and suggested the BJP change its name to Bhartiya Jogi Party. “When so many names (of cities and towns in UP) have been changed, then Chief Minister should change name of Bhartiya Janata Party too…”

Akhilesh Yadav also threw in a cheeky side-swipe by asking the Chief Minister if the land on which his home has been built meets regulatory requirements. “The people who scared others away with bulldozers… who demolished others houses… tell me, is the land for his residence approved?”

“You deliberately ran the bulldozer over (buildings belonging to) people from whom you wanted to revenge… to humiliate them. But the Supreme Court has said a bulldozer cannot be used…”

“So, will the government apologise for bulldozer ops going on till now or not?”

With input from agencies

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.