SC declines plea by NGO on punitive demolitions

The Supreme Court refused to hear a plea by an NGO alleging retributive demolitions by States like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan in contempt of a previous stay order. The court emphasized that the NGO was a third party not directly affected by the demolitions. The court stated that those affected by the demolitions should come forward, and they would address the issue if someone’s structure was illegally torn down by the State. The court had frozen illegal demolitions nationwide and was in the process of framing guidelines against such actions.