Supreme Court cracks down on illegal constructions, warns civic authorities of contempt
The Supreme Court on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) pulled up civic authorities in State capitals for failing to act against illegal constructions and the unauthorised
The Supreme Court on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) pulled up civic authorities in State capitals for failing to act against illegal constructions and the unauthorised use of residential premises for non-residential purposes despite its earlier directions. The court also restrained municipal authorities from issuing directions contrary to its orders, warning that any interference could invite contempt proceedings. “...irrespective of any order that may be in operation, our directions shall be fully complied with by the authorities concerned... This will apply pan-India. We are indicating that if there is any attempt by any authority or government to interfere with any order of this court, the court may not show such restraint in issuing notice of contempt against the concerned authority, government or individual,” a Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan said. The Bench directed civic authorities across the country to identify illegal constructions within their respective jurisdictions and take action “without any delay”. It also directed them to ensure that public spaces and roads were cleared of stray cattle and to file compliance affidavits within three weeks. The directions were issued in a case arising from Tamil Nadu concerning a construction carried out in violation of land use norms and building bye-laws. In March this year, the court had expanded the scope of the proceedings and issued notices to civic bodies in several State capitals, including Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Chennai, and Kolkata, seeking details of action taken against similar violations. The court’s intervention comes amid a series of fatal incidents involving buildings allegedly operating in violation of building bye-laws.
In June, a fire at a coaching centre in Lucknow claimed 15 lives, while the collapse of a five-storey building in Saidulajab village near Delhi’s Saket Metro Station left six people dead and eight injured. The same month, a fire at a bed-and-breakfast facility in south Delhi also claimed several lives, including those of foreign nationals. On Wednesday (August 5, 2026), Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj, appearing for the Bhopal Municipal Corporation, informed the court that the civic body had initially sealed around 100 premises for violations, but was subsequently required to unseal them. He drew the Bench’s attention to an August 2, 2026 order issued by the Madhya Pradesh government’s General Administration Department constituting a 10-member committee to recommend a policy framework for implementing the Supreme Court’s directions concerning commercial establishments operating from residential areas. Pending the committee’s recommendations, coercive action by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation against such establishments had been put on hold. The committee, headed by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Urban Development and Housing Department, comprised senior officials from departments, including Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, Labour, Environment, Urban Administration and Development, Registration and Stamps, Town and Country Planning, and the Pollution Control Board. The Bhopal Collector and Municipal Commissioner were named as special invitees. “Kindly injunct the government from interfering in this kind of matter where we have to carry out our statutory functions... It is a handicap. They have constituted a committee although there is no direction to the government at all,” Mr. Nataraj submitted. ‘Absolute collusion’ Taking serious exception to the State government’s decision, Justice Amanullah questioned its authority to constitute such a committee when the Supreme Court’s directions were already in force and warned that such interference could invite contempt proceedings.
The BriefWire