WATCH | Lucknow Civic Body Runs Bulldozer Over 'Illegal' Shops Outside Samajwadi Party HQ

Civic Body said that shops were illegal and their owners were sent notices several times in the last six months asking them to remove the structures.

Lucknow Municipal Corporation runs bulldozer over illegal encroachment outside Samajwadi Party office. (Image: ANI)

The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) on Wednesday razed several makeshift shops outside Samajwadi Party (SP) headquarters in the capital city. According to reports, most of the shops bulldozed by the civic body were selling campaign material pf SP on the roadside of Vikramaditya Marg. The shops were razed as they were constructed illegally and the owners were sent notices several times in the past.

Speaking to news agency PTI, Rajesh Singh, the zonal officer of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation said that shops, mostly made of tin sheets, on the Vikramaditya Marg were illegal and their owners were sent notices several times in the last six months asking them to remove the structures.

Bulldozers in action near the @samajwadiparty office in Lucknow. Govt officials said they removed tin shed shops built on encroached land after due notice. The shops used to sell SP flags, banners etc pic.twitter.com/P2yVTdAri1

— Alok Pandey (@alok_pandey) August 31, 2022

"They were given time and an announcement was also made earlier. On Wednesday, we razed the illegal structures with bulldozers," Singh said. These shopkeepers were selling campaign material of Akhilesh Yadav-led Opposition party in the state since last 20 years.

Soon after civil body's crackdown a female, identified as Ayushi Srivastava, reportedly got her head shaved protesting the razing of shops. Calling the action 'bias', she asked why were shops removed on one side of the road only.

One of the person who was removing debris at the spot after shops were removed said that notices were sent to them by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation after which they were not opening the shops and had removed all the materials. "We were ready to deposit money but this action has been taken," PTI quoted him as saying.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been lately bulldozing illegal properties across the state that has finally turned the bulldozer into a mascot for his government with CM widely being known as "Bulldozer Baba".

However, in June, the Supreme Court of India observed that all demolitions taking place in UP have to be in accordance with the due process of law.

Issuing notice to the state, the apex court bench of Justices AS Bopanna and Vikram Nath orally remarked that the demolitions can't be a retaliatory measure.

"Everything should look fair, we expect the authorities to act only in accordance with the law. Ensure safety so that nothing untoward happens," noted the top court.