New Delhi, Aug 25 The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a plea challenging an order related to the demolition of lawyers' chambers allegedly constructed by encroaching public land near the Lucknow District Court complex.
"The demolition has to take place," a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said.
After the bench showed disinclination to entertain the plea, the counsel for the petitioner withdrew it.
"I have seen it myself. I was there for two years as a senior judge. I know what kind of constructions are there," Justice Nath, who had earlier served as a judge of the Allahabad High Court, said.
The petitioner's counsel suggested that the matter be referred to mediation.
The bench, which refused to refer the matter to mediation, permitted the counsel to withdraw the plea, which challenged an August 4 order of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court.
The high court had directed the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) to issue notices to 72 alleged encroachers, most of them advocates, in connection with chambers and other structures allegedly built over public pathways or public utility land near the Lucknow District Court complex.
The high court directed the alleged encroachers to either vacate the structures or establish their lawful right over the land and constructions.
In the event of failure to do so, the LMC was directed to proceed with demolition.
