After Supreme Court’s ‘rule of law’ prod, sealing of illegal units in UP speeds up

MEERUT: Authorities on Wednesday intensified the sealing drive against 44 illegal commercial units in Meerut’s Central Market after Supreme Court pulled up divisional commissioner Rishikesh Bhasker Yashod over delays and questioned whether he would “succumb to the hue and cry of encroachers” or go by the rule of law. The action, backed by heavy police deployment, targeted residential properties that had over time been converted into hospitals, shopping complexes, schools and banks in one of the city’s busiest commercial hubs.The drive had begun a day earlier with action on a hospital in the area, but picked up pace on Wednesday after a two-judge bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Vishwanathan took strong exception to the delay and to an earlier order that had put demolition of some units on hold “for now”. During the hearing, the bench asked Yashod on what basis he had set aside earlier court directions against illegal constructions and said, “Will you succumb to the hue and cry of encroachers or will you go by the rule of law?”The court also flagged the commissioner’s Oct 27, 2025, order directing authorities to stop further demolition of shops in Central Market on the ground that a proposed amendment in the Master Plan sought to give the area “market street” status. The bench said he was duty-bound to comply with Supreme Court’s order and asked, “Why did you have to pass the order that this will not be demolished at present? Who authorised you? You have defied our orders.”As officials of UP Housing Board stepped up enforcement, protests broke out in the market and traders clashed verbally with police. Naveen Gupta, president of the Joint Traders Association, called the action “outright harassment” and alleged that clinics and lawyers’ offices were also being sealed even though, according to him, they were not covered by the court’s order.The action also left parents of children studying in schools located in the area worried about the new academic session. Amit Gupta, a parent, said, “We have already deposited the fees for the new session and all the schools have stopped admissions as the new session has kicked off. What should we do now?”