SC Asks Centre to Secure Possession of Adarsh Society Building

The Court asked residents to vacate and instructed the Centre to take possession of the building in Mumbai.

Adarsh Society Building. (Photo Courtesy: IANS)

The Supreme Court asked the Centre on Friday to take possession of and secure the controversial Adarsh Society building in Mumbai. Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar told the court that the building will be secured and there will be no demolition.

A bench comprising Justices J Chelemeswar and A M Sapre said that the word “secure” meant that there will be no razing.

Possession has to be handed over on or before 5 August. This process will be supervised by Registrar General of Bombay HC or by his nominee Registrar. Simultaneously, an inventory of documents of the Housing Society pertaining to the apartments is to be prepared and handed over to the housing society to enable him to pursue its legal battles in various courts of law, the bench said.

Earlier, the High Court had ordered demolition of the apartments and had sought initiation of criminal proceedings against politicians and bureaucrats for “misuse” of powers, holding that the tower was illegally constructed.

During the hearing, senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for the society, pleaded for the stay on the High Court order saying that at present, the building is “un-inhabitable” as the water and electricity supply have been cut.

“I am willing to argue it out today itself and would show as to where the High Court has gone wrong,” he said, adding that the case may be heard next Tuesday.

“We are sorry. The case will be heard on its turn. It will have to wait for final hearing,” the bench said, adding that it will not allow the Housing Society to “handle” the affairs of apartments.

(With inputs from PTI.)