Petitioners Allege Illegal Action, Seek Stay On Chandola Lake Demolition Drive; Matter Reaches High Court

Ahmedabad: AMC and Gujarat police have started the large-scale demolition drive at Chandola Lake in Ahmedabad this morning. However, the matter has now escalated to the High Court, with 18 petitioners seeking a stay on the operation. The petition challenges the legality of the ongoing demolitions, claiming that the affected residents have not been proven to be illegal Bangladeshi nationals and that due legal process has not been followed.

The petitioners argue that no official notices were served prior to the demolition, nor were any provisions made for the rehabilitation of displaced families. They contend that authorities have bypassed established procedures and acted arbitrarily, alleging that neither the police nor the civic administration has the right to unilaterally label residents as illegal immigrants.

According to the petition, only a Foreigners Tribunal has the authority to determine whether an individual is residing illegally in India. Therefore, demolishing homes on the basis of unverified claims violates both constitutional rights and natural justice, the plea states.

A hearing on the matter is expected in the Gujarat High Court at 11 AM today, where the petitioners will argue for an immediate stay on the demolition activities. The legal challenge raises significant questions about the demolition operation, which began as a crackdown on illegal settlements allegedly built by undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants near Chandola Lake. Authorities have claimed that around 1.5 lakh square meters of government land has been encroached upon over the past 14 years.

However, critics are now questioning how such extensive encroachment went unchecked for over a decade and why enforcement has only now become a priority. The case has sparked fresh debate over due process, human rights, and the long-standing issue of undocumented settlements in urban India.