Lucknow: Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench has taken a stricter view in the matter of removal of illegal encroachments around the civil court premises in Kaiserbagh.The court has given a final opportunity to occupants of the remaining 72 chambers and shops, directing them either to voluntarily vacate the unauthorised structures or produce evidence before the competent authority to establish their lawful right over the premises. Failing this, the chambers and shops will be demolished. Around 100 illegal chambers have already been demolished pursuant to the court’s orders.The order was passed by a division bench, comprising Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Justice Rajiv Bharti while hearing a public interest litigation titled Anuradha Singh and others.The court directed the Lucknow Municipal Corporation to serve fresh notices on all 72 encroachers within a week. If any occupant refuses to accept the notice, it shall be pasted on the encroached premises. The notice shall also be published in one Hindi and one English newspaper, after which the occupants will be given 10 days to comply. The court made it clear if the encroachments are not removed within the stipulated period, or the occupants fail to furnish satisfactory evidence of their lawful rights, the concerned chambers and shops shall be demolished.The court directed that the demolition exercise be carried out on a Sunday so that judicial work is not disrupted. The court warned if any encroacher is found indulging in illegal activity on the scheduled date of demolition, appropriate legal action shall be taken.
