Centre ready to fight it out

CENTER'S ANTI-DEMOLITION MOVE UNDER SC HAMMER

Even as the Supreme Court declared the law granting a one-year moratorium on illegal constructions null and void, the urban development ministry seems to be in a mood to fight it out.

Sources in the ministry said the Centre was determined to fight the case to the end and might even mull an ordinance if the Act itself was struck down by the court.

"We have a very strong case, there are very valid reasons for which the moratorium had been granted," said a ministry source.

The Centre also saw no "cause of action" on the Supreme Court's observations on the law on demolitions in Delhi as they did not impact on its "operation" suspending the court-ordered MCD drives in the capital.

The Supreme Court's observations did not come in the way of operation of the law passed by Parliament and therefore there was no cause of action, the sources said.

Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy had earlier said he was confident of the legal competence of Parliament to pass such a law. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who had been under pressure at the height of the demolitions, declined to comment.

"The Court must have thought out whatever it said, I have no comments," she said. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for July 31 when the Centre is to file its reply to the court's notice.