SC allows fencing at Sahara Sahar

NEW DELHI; In a small victory for the Sahara Group over the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh (UP), the supreme court allowed Sahara India Commercial Corporation Limited (SICCL) on Wednesday to restore the tin plate fence around the 270-acre Sahara Sahar that was pulled down by the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA).

A vacation bench of the court said the demolition had been carried out in defiance of its “status quo” order issued a day ago.

SICCL is owned by former UP chief minister and Mayawati’s bete noire Mulayam Singh’s friend Subroto Roy.

The bench headed by Altamas Kabir appointed lawyer L Nageshwar Rao to supervise the fencing on June 28 and 29. He will report to the Allahabad high court (Lucknow bench).

The supreme court disposed of all the special leave petitions filed by the UP government against the Lucknow high court bench’s  interim stay on demolition at Sahara Sahar. However, the apex court directed the highcourt to hear the matter expeditiously.

Each of the two parties had pleaded that the apex court launch contempt-of-court proceedings against the other alleging it had violated the court’s order.
b_rakesh@dnaindia.net