Gujarat High Court Examines Rehabilitation Claims of Surat Residents After Controversial Demolition Drive

Introduction: The Gujarat High Court is examining the rehabilitation arrangements offered to residents of Surat’s Nasir Nagar whose homes were demolished during a controversial demolition drive in June 2026. The proceedings have raised questions not only about the manner in which the demolition was undertaken but also about the State and municipal authorities’ subsequent obligation to provide meaningful and habitable rehabilitation to the affected residents.

Justice Nikhil S. Kariel was hearing Ansari M. Ikbal Alihusen & Others v. State of Gujarat & Others , R/Special Civil Application No. 8712 of 2026, filed by a group of residents challenging the consequences of the demolition exercise.

The matter has its genesis in the demolition of residential structures in Nasir Nagar, Surat, which the petitioners have described as an “illegal” demolition drive. During the earlier stages of the proceedings, the Gujarat High Court had prima facie expressed concern over the manner in which the exercise was allegedly conducted.