New Delhi, August 6
A public interest litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking quashing of the Uttar Pradesh Government’s orders suspending IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal as SDM of Gautam Budh Nagar for allegedly directing demolition of an under-construction mosque compound without bothering about the possibility of a communal flare-up.

The petitioner, advocate ML Sharma, contended that the UP government had no right to take any action against the IAS officer for the alleged demolition as she was only implementing an apex court directive to the authorities across the country to prevent unauthorised construction of any shrine encroaching upon roads, parks or other public places.

He pointed out that the SC had passed the order on September 29, 2009, making it clear that henceforth no unauthorised construction “shall be carried out or permitted in the name of temple, church, mosque or gurdwara etc” on any public place.