The Delhi High Court on Friday granted interim relief to residents of 11 properties in the Batla House area of Okhla, staying their proposed demolition by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
The properties, located on Muradi Road, had received demolition notices from the DDA on May 24 and 26.
Justice Tejas Karia, hearing the matter as a single-judge bench, issued the interim stay order and directed the DDA to respond to the residents’ petition. The matter is now listed for further hearing on July 10 before the appropriate roster bench.
Petition Filed By 11 Residents
The interim relief was granted in response to a petition filed by Mohammad Tamsil Quddusi and ten other residents, represented by advocate Fahad Khan. The petitioners contended that most of the affected properties lie outside Khasra Number 279 — the specific land parcel cited by the DDA in its notices. According to the plea, nine out of the 11 properties are not located within this khasra.
Of the two properties that do fall within the disputed Khasra Number 279 — those owned by Qademul Faraz and Nassu Ahmed — the petition claims that they qualify for protection under the PM-UDAY Scheme, a central government initiative aimed at regularizing unauthorized colonies.
“No Opportunity to Be Heard,” Say Residents
The residents allege that the DDA failed to follow due process before issuing the notices. They claim that the authority pasted the demolition notices on the premises without giving them any prior hearing or chance for redressal.
In one instance, petitioner Badruddin stated he never received any formal notice at all. Instead, he was merely orally informed by DDA officials that his property would be demolished.
Conditional Stay By High Court
The High Court’s interim stay is subject to a key condition: the petitioners must file an affidavit declaring they will withdraw a related application currently pending before the Supreme Court. Only after this affidavit is submitted will the interim relief remain in effect.
Amanatullah Khan Withdraws PIL
In a related development, the Delhi High Court’s division bench on Wednesday allowed AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan to withdraw his Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the proposed demolition.
The bench noted that the MLA had agreed to advise affected residents in his constituency to file individual petitions before the single-judge bench, which had already granted interim protection to some of the petitioners.
Read More: Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, States High Court, International
