Above: MCD sealed shops and farm houses of Chattarpur after the order from monitoring committee in the capital (file pic)/Photo: UNI

The Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur on Tuesday (March 6) imposed a ban on the implementation of Delhi’s Master Plan 2021. This could resume the sealing drive that had seen flash strikes (twice) of traders who had been affected.

In early February the bench had questioned the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) plan to tweak the Master Plan of Delhi to protect traders from the sealing drive. Hitting out at the DDA the court had termed it the “Delhi Destruction Authority”.

The same bench had said that in its eagerness to protect the traders affected, the DDA was not looking at the larger interest of Delhi’s residents.

The result of the Supreme Court’s ban was also that BJP MLA OP Sharma and a sitting councillor apologized for protesting the sealing in Delhi. The two leaders were held in contempt by the court and this apology meant that the court disposed of the case of contempt against the two leaders.

To the two leaders the court said: “You cannot insult the Chief Minister of any state in any demonstration. If you do this, you are defaming the institution.”

The Supreme Court has also said that no party shall file any affidavit in the court in this matter.

—India Legal Bureau