Demolition Row: SC asks for Uttarakhand's reply on contempt plea

National National

Posted by AI on 2025-05-13 18:20:25 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-09-26 15:58:47

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The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Uttarakhand government's response on a contempt plea for allegedly violating its order to halt the demolition drive at the Himalayan state's ancient Char Dham temples. The apex court asked the state government to file its reply within two weeks. The top court was hearing a contempt plea filed by Madan Oberoi and others claiming that the Uttarakhand authorities have not complied with the apex court's September 8, 2020, order that stayed the state's demolition drive at the Char Dham temples.

The SC, while hearing the plea on February 14, had said that it will consider the plea for contempt action against the state authorities and had listed the matter for Monday. The petition claims that despite the SC's order, which was confirmed by the apex court's September 30, 2020, order, the state government had already begun the demolition at the temples in question.

The Uttarakhand government, meanwhile, claimed that the temples were partially damaged by the earthquakes in 1999 and 2010, and that the damaged structures were causing danger to pilgrims and needed to be removed. The state government had argued that since the SC had not stayed the 2011 advisory of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to demolish unscientific repairs carried out on the temples, the state government was within its rights to go ahead with the demolition.

The apex court was now considering the contempt plea, and had asked the state government to file its reply within two weeks, legal news website Bar and Bench reported.

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