Prayagraj: In a relief to residents, the Allahabad high court has stayed the bulldozer action against 48 houses and shops in the Nahar Bazar area at Dibiyapur in Auraiya district.While fixing Apr 29 as the next date of hearing, a division bench comprising Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Vivek Varma directed the state authorities to maintain a status quo with respect to the property in dispute. The court also directed the state govt to file its counter affidavit.On Apr 15, an urgency was mentioned before the Chief Justice that there was an imminent threat of demolition to be carried out by the respondent authority on Apr 16. Accordingly, the present division bench was constituted by the Chief Justice vide administrative order dated April 15.The present writ petition was filed by resident Suman Devi, challenging the validity of the impugned order dated Sept 30, 2025. She sought a direction to restrain the respondent authorities from evicting and dispossessing the petitioners from the land on which their house and shops were constructed, pursuant to the order under challenge.The petitioners’ contention was that they obtained the said land as part of an the sterilization scheme between 1987 and 1991.Appearing for the petitioner, her counsel submitted before the court that despite furnishing all relevant material, it was not considered while passing the impugned order and there was apprehension that demolition would be carried out on the scheduled date. He submitted that if no indulgence was granted, the petitioners would suffer irreparable loss and injury that could not be compensated by any other means.On the other hand, the state counsel resisted the relief and submitted that ample opportunity was given to the petitioners. Despite various notices, they had not turned up in the proceedings and the authorities have no other option except to proceed on the merits of the case. Accordingly, he submitted that the order impugned is just and proper, which warrants no interference by the court.After hearing both sides, the high court passed the above directive, observing “We find that a counter affidavit is to be filed by the state respondents within one week, three days, thereafter, is accorded to file a rejoinder affidavit. Let the matter be posted as fresh before the appropriate court on Apr 29.”
