NEW DELHI, 12 April 2007 — The Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat yesterday criticized the police and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for not properly carrying out a court order calling for the closure of shops and businesses operating illegally in the Indian capital.
Delhi Police Commissioner K.K. Paul and MCD Commissioner A.K. Nigam were in the court to explain the delay in resuming a drive against illegal shops despite the top court’s directive.
Senior lawyer Ranjit Kumar, assisting the court, said that the drive had started in compliance with the court’s order. Supported by police, municipal officials yesterday targeted several illegal commercial units in the residential areas of Kailash Colony in southern Delhi, Rohini and Sultan Puri in northwest Delhi, Paschim Puri in west Delhi, Civil lines in north Delhi and Shahdara in east Delhi.
“We have given the required force to support their action,” chief spokesperson of Delhi Police Dependra Pathak told IANS.
The Supreme Court reprimanded Nigam and Paul for having not carried out the order on April 8.
The court said both organizations lack mutual coordination and directed the authorities to go ahead with the action against unauthorized commercial establishments and shops without any further ado.
After a court order, the MCD had restarted the drive in the last week of March and then sought the court’s permission to halt its operations between April 3 and 7 for the MCD elections.
However, the authorities did not resume the drive from April 8 citing non-availability of adequate police force.
“It has become too much, everyone feels the Supreme Court is the most unimportant organization,” an angry court said on Tuesday. Paul said that the campaign could not be carried out on April 9 also because police force was not available.
