Setback to Mayawati, as Allahabad High Court stops demolition at Sahara Shahar

The bitter feud between UP CM Mayawati and her bete noire Mulayam Singh Yadav and his friend Subroto Roy Sahara, reached the courtroom after the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) demolished portions of Sahara Shahar in the Gomti Nagar area. In a major relief to the Sahara India Group, the Allahabad High Court directed that the land that had been vacated in the demolition exercise be restored to Sahara. The High Court also allowed reconstruction on it.

The HC pulled up the LDA for carrying out the demolition late in the night without serving a notice. The court also It also ordered the state government to issue a circular banning demolitions between 5 PM to 9 AM anywhere in Uttar Pradesh. The state government has decided to move to the Supreme Court to challenge the HC order.

Earlier, the LDA officials carried out a demolition drive at Sahara Shahar, by destroying some portions of the boundary wall, an auditorium, health club, theatre, watch tower, hospital, a building called Jal Mahal and some living areas. The demolition was carried out late in the Wednesday night. The HC's ruling served as a major blow to Mayawati who pursued a politics of vendetta ever since she returned to power.