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The Supreme Court on Thursday sharply criticised the Allahabad High Court over a complaint filed by Uttar Pradesh MLA Abbas Ansari, which alleged inaction by the High Court on his plea challenging the government takeover of his land.
Ansari, son of late gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari, claimed that the High Court had selectively ignored his petition, while it had stayed similar cases questioning land acquisition for constructing houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. He alleged that the discriminatory approach was due to his name.
Taking note of the delay, the Supreme Court remarked that the process of listing and filing cases in the Allahabad High Court had “collapsed”, and called it a “worrisome” situation.
“We don’t want to comment. Some of the High Courts we don’t know what will happen and this is one of the High Courts which really one should be worrisome about,” Justice Surya Kant said during the hearing.
Further commenting on the listing of cases at the High Court, Justice Surya Kant said, “Unfortunately, filing has collapsed, listing has collapsed”.
“Nobody knows which matter will be listed and I was there on last Saturday and had long interactions with some of the concerned judges and registrar,” he added.
The bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh ordered a status quo in the matter concerning the dispossession of MLA Abbas Ansari’s land, which had been declared evacuee property by the government.
The Supreme Court directed a halt to the construction of houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana on Ansari’s land in Lucknow and instructed the High Court to expedite the hearing of his plea. The apex court emphasised that no construction activities should proceed until the High Court delivers its decision on Ansari’s petition.
