New Delhi: The Indian Supreme Court has declared the demolition of homes by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments unconstitutional, a violation of human rights, and outside the bounds of the law.

According to Kashmir Media Service, a two-judge Supreme Court bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K.V. Viswanathan ruled on the “Bulldozer Justice” case, stating that the authorities are prohibited from demolishing any home without due legal process. The court further asserted that the administration cannot act as both judge and jury to condemn an individual and subsequently demolish their home, stating that collective punishment by demolishing homes is unjust.

Indian media reported that the ruling was issued following petitions submitted by the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind and other organizations. The ruling comes amid a series of incidents where BJP-led central and state governments have frequently demolished the homes of Muslim residents under the pretext of clearing land, a practice popularly referred to as “Bulldozer Justice.”

This method allows authorities to raze homes based solely on allegations, without providing proof. In 2022, following Hindu-Muslim clashes in Madhya Pradesh, numerous Muslim homes were demolished without any evidence of wrongdoing. It is pertinent to mention that since Yogi Adityanath took office as Chief Minister in Uttar Pradesh, several instances of “Bulldozer Justice” have emerged, with Muslims often being the primary targets.