The Supreme Court on Monday stayed for six weeks the demolition of houses in five posh coastal apartments in Kochi.
The apex court on May 8 had ordered the demolition of apartments for allegedly violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules and regulations.
A vacation bench of the top court, headed by Justice Indira Banerjee and also comprising Justice Ajay Rastogi, admitted the petition filed by the aggrieved house owners seeking a review of its earlier order to demolish these apartments in Maradu.
The apex court vacation bench said that their review plea will be heard in the first week of July, and ordered status quo in the case till then.
The one-month demolition deadline set by the apex court on May 8 had ended on June 9.
The main ground of review petitioners was that the SC-appointed the three-member committee had not given them a proper hearing regarding the show cause notice pertaining to violations. Therefore, the demolition order, the petitioners argued, violated their fundamental right.
The earlier Bench had directed the authorities concerned, represented by advocate Romy Chacko appearing for the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority, to clear the buildings within a period of one month and submit the report before the court.
The apex court had said the state cannot bear illegal constructions with the danger of floods and heavy rain looming large.
In the review petition, it was contended that the court was misled by the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority into concluding that the constructions were made in the violation of CRZ notifications.
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