News:

• Imposing a pan-India ban on instant ‘bulldozer justice’, Supreme Court has held demolition of a citizen’s house merely because he is an accused or even a convict, that too without following the due process as prescribed by law, will be “totally unconstitutional”. 
• The apex court underlined that right to shelter is part of right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
• It laid down detailed guidelines for razing illegal structures and ruled that a state cannot breach a family’s right to shelter by demolishing their house only because one of its members is accused of a heinous crime.
• The order calls for 15 days’ notice, served on the owner by registered post, containing details of the violations as well as the grounds for the action to be taken. 
• A personal hearing, a reasoned order and an inspection report signed by witnesses have also been made mandatory.