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Assam: Bulldozing homes of 73 Muslim families in Goalpara was unlawful, says HC
The court said it was ‘unthinkable’ that the administration issued notices that did not provide the residents an opportunity to respond.
The Goalpara district administration bulldozing of the homes of 73 Bengali Muslim families built on private agricultural land was unauthorised, the Gauhati High Court said.
The administration had bulldozed the homes on September 7. The demolitions were carried out within two days of the residents being served a notice by the circle officer on September 5 warning of legal action if they did not raze within 24 hours the homes built on their own agricultural land.
The action against the residents would be taken under the settlement rules of the 1886 Assam Land and Revenue Regulation and the 2005 Disaster Management Act, the authorities had said in the notice.
