HC dismisses PIL against constructions on public land

The Delhi High Court today dismissed a PIL seeking directions to various authorities to take action against illegal constructions on lands belonging to 'Gaon Sabha' and the government in the national capital.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw held that on the Supreme Court's direction all the states have already constituted the task forces for each Sub-Division of each district, to initiate action against the encroachers.
It had also ordered prosecutions of encroachers.
"The said task forces are also required to submit regular progress report on the cases taken up.
"As the aforesaid would show, there is indeed no need for this court to issue directions as sought by the petitioner in as much as the directions sought are covered by the omnibus directions already issued by the Supreme Court in Jagpal Singh supra. There is nothing for this Court to adjudicate. This petition cannot be used as an execution of the judgment/ directions of the Supreme Court," the court said.

A single judge had referred the plea, filed by All India Panchayat Parishad, to a larger bench saying the relief sought is in the nature of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).

Later, the PIL had sought a direction for a survey and identification of government and gram sabha lands in various villages, including Swaroop Nagar, Libaspur, Bhalaswa, Burari, Badli, Sameypur, Haiderpur and other villages in and around Delhi.
It had alleged a large scale "hurried land-grabbing" was on and miscreants have been building illegal structures on such lands.
The NGO had also said that the 2011 apex court judgment should be strictly adhered to.