Go ahead with sealing drive without any hindrance: SC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed anguish over the stand taken by Delhi Police and MCD over the sealing drive in the capital and directed the authorities to go ahead with the action against unauthorised commercial
establishments without any further hindrance.

Delhi Police Commissioner KK Paul and MCD Commissioner AK Nigam were present in the court as the apex court summoned them to explain the delay in the resumption of sealing drive even after its order.

A Bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat expressed its anguish at the manner in which the order of the court was not carried out in its letter and spirit.

After senior lawyer Ranjit Kumar, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae in the matter, told the Bench that sealing has started pursuance to Tuesday's order, the Bench said, "we expect that sealing would be carried out without any grievance from any quarter."

Expressing its anger over the delay in resumption of sealing of unauthorised commercial premises in the capital, the Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the MCD and the Police and summoned the Police Commissioner and civic body Commissioner before the court.

Delhi Police Commissioner KK Paul, in his affidavit, said that police force was not made available for the sealing drive between April three to five as it was deployed for the MCD elections and 14th SAARC Summit.

The affidavit said that the police assistance was provided to the MCD for sealing process and two properties in North District and four schools were sealed in East Delhi on April 9.

Apart from this, police assistance was also provided to other civic agencies for the demolition of unauthorised constructions in various parts of the capital as per the directions of the Monitoring Committee appointed by the Delhi High Court.

However, in a contradictory stand, the MCD in its affidavit said that the sealing drive could not be carried out on April 9 also due to non-availability of police force.