Gujarat High Court Seeks Removal of Senior Officials During Probe into Illegal Surat Demolitions

Presiding over a petition brought by 26 affected residents, Justice Nikhil Kariel observed that allowing senior figures, including the Surat Municipal Commissioner and the local Deputy Commissioner of Police, to stay in office during the probe would turn the process into a farce. The court emphasized that temporary removal of top authorities is necessary to ensure the inquiry remains impartial and credible.

The bench also rejected a rehabilitation strategy presented by the Surat Municipal Corporation, which sought to relocate victims into Economically Weaker Section housing with financial backing from non-governmental organizations. The proposed arrangement relied on external organizations to fund a 20,000 rupee application draft and 5.5 lakh rupees in construction expenses for each displaced family.

Characterizing the May 30 action as on its face illegal, the court stated that municipal and state authorities cannot bypass their direct legal obligations or pass responsibility onto charitable groups when compensating citizens whose homes were unlawfully destroyed.