Supreme Court refuses to stay demolition drive at Khori Gaon Basti in Aravali

A Bench comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari while hearing public interest litigation (PIL) also permitted the petitioners to produce their documents at Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF).

"In our opinion, no indulgence is required to be shown by this Court at this stage," the court clarified.

The Apex Court asserted that it is up to the Haryana government to look into this issue.

The top court will hear the matter further on July 27.

On June 7, the SC had reiterated the earlier court order directing Haryana and MCF to remove the 10,000 illegal residential constructions housing over 1 lakh people on the forest land.

The court had also directed the Corporation to use "police force if needed" to remove all jhuggis and encroachments on Khori Gaon forest land within six weeks.

"Land grabbers can't take refuge of the law, vacate the premise on your own so that corporation does not have to spend on evicting you, You cannot have them pressurise you to leave and then ask for accommodation," the bench had told the petitioners pointing there cannot be any compromise with the forest land.

The writ petition challenged the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran Rehabilitation Policy to the extent that it limits the cut-off for rehabilitation to 2003. The petition also contended that most dwellers, however, are unable to show any proof of existence.