Supreme Court issues contempt notice to Assam Govt over Kochutoli eviction

Guwahati: The Supreme Court has taken action against the Assam government for violating an order to halt demolitions without prior approval.

A contempt notice was issued following a petition filed by 47 residents who claimed their homes were demolished despite assurances from the Assam Advocate General that no action would be taken.

The case revolves around the bulldozer action on 47 households in Kachutoli Pathar village and surrounding areas of Kamrup Metro district on the outskirts of Guwahati.

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The residents claimed that they had lived there for decades under agreements with the original landholders and contested the state's classification of them as "illegal occupants" of tribal land.

It was alleged that the administration had failed to issue eviction notices with a one-month period for occupants to vacate.

They also stated that the residents were not given a fair hearing before the demolitions, depriving them of their homes and livelihoods.

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The demolitions allegedly violated Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Constitution, guaranteeing equality before the law and the right to life and personal liberty.

A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan ordered the state to respond within three weeks and directed that a status quo be maintained until the next hearing.

The Supreme Court had previously prohibited demolitions across the country without prior judicial approval, except in cases involving encroachments on public roads, footpaths, railway lines, or water bodies.