Supreme Court to Hear Petition Against ‘Bulldozer Justice’ Targeting Minority Communities

Photo ANI

A case seeking to halt “bulldozer justice” has reached the Supreme Court, with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind filing a petition to stop governments from demolishing the homes of accused individuals. The petition cites recent incidents in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, alleging that the bulldozing disproportionately targets minority communities. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave has requested an urgent hearing, which the Supreme Court has scheduled for September 2 before a bench led by Justice B.R. Gavai.

The petition argues that state governments are using bulldozers as a tool of repression against marginalized communities, particularly minorities, without giving them a chance to seek legal recourse. The petition highlights a pattern of instant punishment, where properties are demolished soon after an incident, even before any legal proceedings begin.

A recent report by Amnesty International, released in February this year, documented 128 properties being demolished in Delhi, Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh between April 2022 and June 2023, following communal violence. The petition mentions a case from May this year in Madhya Pradesh, where the property of an accused’s father was bulldozed within hours of the incident, before any legal process could commence. Similarly, on June 22 and 26, properties of accused individuals in Moradabad and Bareilly were demolished following FIRs.

The petition also details a June 2024 incident in Mandla district, Madhya Pradesh, where the properties of 12 accused in a cattle smuggling case were demolished. In August 2024, the administration and forest department in Udaipur, Rajasthan, demolished the home of Rashid Khan. Rashid’s 15-year-old son had been accused of stabbing a classmate, leading to communal tensions and violence. The very next day, Rashid’s house was bulldozed. The case will be heard by the Supreme Court on September 2.