SC halts bulldozer; orders ‘status quo’ on demolition of houses of Balmiki community members in Sonepat

The Supreme Court has ordered the Haryana Government to maintain ‘status quo’ on demolition of houses of Balmiki community members at Jatheri village in Sonepat built on land that has been acquired by the state government.

“By way of an ad-interim order, the parties are directed to maintain status quo as of today,” a Bench led by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai said in its October 13 order.

The Bench – which also included Justice K Vinod Chandran – issued notice to the Haryana Government, Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, District Revenue Officer-cum-Land Acquisition Collector, Sonepat and Assistant General Manager (Engg.) Industrial Estate, HSIIDC, Rai, District, Sonepat asking them to respond to the petition filed by Ramesh Kumar and others seeking quashing of the acquisition notifications on the ground that the land in question was not only irregular in dimension and location, but it was also negligible with respect to the total land acquired for establishment of industrial Sector 38 for which ultimately 333A-2 Kanal-5 Marla land was acquired.

The order came after the petitioners’ counsel Vikram Punia urged the top court to direct the Haryana Government to act in accordance with the Policy of Rehabilitation and Resettlement of Land owners-Land Acquisition Oustees, 2007 and 2010 and to allot them plots of 50/100 sq. yards.

The petitioners had purchased the said land in 1993 and constructed their dwelling units, Punia said, adding they had been residing on it for almost 13 years prior to issuance of acquisition notification. The physical possession of the land had never been taken before the bulldozer action started, he said.

The petitioners also sought a direction to the Haryana Government to provide constructed houses at some alternative place until they were rehabilitated and resettled and till that time the allotment or any further development of the subject land either by way of auction or any construction etc. should be stayed.

“The respondent State in the present case has displayed its propensity to dole out Bulldozer Justice as they have already demolished the dwelling units of the petitioners a few days back due to which the petitioners are being made to run from pillar to the post in order to get some relief,” the petitioners alleged.

The petitioners had earlier moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking the quashing of acquisition proceedings with regard to the land in question and had sought their suitable rehabilitation or resettlement.

The high court disposed of the petition on March 28, 2025, with liberty to the respondent state to carry out eviction proceedings within three months but in doing so it was asked to consider the resettlement/ rehabilitation of the petitioners.

As the state government allegedly failed to comply with the high court’s direction, the petitioners filed a contempt petition on which notice was issued on August 7, 2025.

The petitioners moved the top court as despite the contempt notice, the Haryana Government carried out the demolition of the dwelling units of the petitioners situated on the land in question on August 11, 2025, rendering the contempt proceedings virtually without any substance.