New Delhi: Today, on July 24, the Supreme Court of India has today issued a notice in a contempt petition filed by residents of Hasila Beel revenue village, located in the Goalpara district of Assam. The petition challenges the recent eviction and demolition drive carried out by the local authorities in the village.
According to the petitioners, the demolition drive mainly targeted people from a minority community, while ignoring others in similar situations from the majority community. This, they argue, shows a discriminatory and unfair implementation of the eviction drive.
The residents, who have approached the top court, have also asked for proper compensation, rehabilitation, and rebuilding of their homes and schools that were demolished.
The petitioners claim they are landless families who have been living in Hasila Beel under the Balijana Revenue Circle for the past 50 to 60 years.
They stated that their forefathers had settled in the area after losing their homes and land due to riverbank erosion caused by the Brahmaputra River.
The petitioners also told the Supreme Court that the demolitions violated the guidelines set by the Court itself in a judgment passed last year, which laid down strict rules for any bulldozer or demolition action by authorities.
Referring to a notice dated June 13, 2025, they said that the Circle Officer of Balijana Revenue Circle asked all residents occupying Dag No. 102 and 431 to remove their houses, shops, buildings, and crops within just two days.
The said land was apparently allotted to the Assam Fisheries Development Corporation in 2015.
This story was originally published in lawchakra.in. Read the full story here.
