Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Razing impunity: On bulldozer demolitions and the Supreme Court

Razing impunity: On bulldozer demolitions and the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of India’s intervention (हस्तक्षेप, मध्यस्थता) may end arbitrary (मनमाना) and targeted (लक्षित, निशाना) demolitions

Demolition of property as a punitive (दंडात्मक, सुधारात्मक) measure (उपाय, कदम) against alleged (कथित, आरोपित) offenders (अपराधी, कानून तोड़ने वाला) amounts to wilful (जानबूझकर) subversion (undermining, ruining, destruction) of the rule of law (कानून का शासन). The bulldozer has emerged as a symbol of the state’s eagerness (उत्सुकता, तत्परता) to inflict (थोपना) collective punishment (सामूहिक दंड) in recent times. Many such demolitions, cheered on one side by Hindutva proponents (champion, advocate, promoter, upholder, supporter, backer) and passed off as removal of encroachments (अतिक्रमण) on the other by the government machinery (system, structure, administration, apparatus), demonstrated a pattern in which a spell (period, time, season, streak) of communal tension (strained relations, strain, unease) was followed by the deployment (the use of something or someone in an effective way; utilization) of bulldozers and excavators. The Supreme Court of India has now ventured (put forward, suggest, propose, present, posit, moot) to put an end to (bring to an end, stop, quell, quash, cancel, remove, get rid of, do away with) this culture of impunity (दंडमुक्ति, सज़ा से छूट) by laying down enforceable guidelines and directions to prevent demolition of homes and buildings without following due process ((equally and fairly) correct process; fair treatment). The verdict addresses (tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out) issues that arose from the spurt (sudden increase, rise, surge) in demolitions, beginning with Khargone in Madhya Pradesh and Jahangirpuri in Delhi in 2022, and several other places over the last two years. The Bench has recognised (realize, understand, perceive, acknowledge) the obvious link between the fact that (used to refer to a specific situation under consideration/discussion) these homes and buildings belonged to those accused (a person who is charged with a crime; a person who is prosecuted for a crime done) of offences (crime, wrongdoing, illegal act, misdeed; breach, violation of the law) that took place immediately before the demolition drive (push, initiative, enterprise). It has ruled that this has a bearing on the rule of law and on the principle of separation of powers, as any such punitive use of the law against those accused or guilty (culpable, blameworthy, at fault, in the wrong, responsible) of a crime amounts to (बराबर होना, के समतुल्य होना) executive (relating to a branch of government which enforces the law as written by the legislature and interpreted by the judiciary) authorities (officials, officialdom, the people in charge, the bureaucracy) taking over a penal (punitive, disciplinary, corrective, retributive) function. It also underpinned (strengthen, fortify, support, bolster, reinforce) its order on the right to shelter, which stands breached (violate, break, infract, contravene, offend, transgress, go against), as the practice often unfairly targets family members of those allegedly (reportedly, supposedly, purportedly, ostensibly, apparently) involved.

The process laid down by the Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan rightly seeks (try, aim, attempt) to ensure public accessibility of details regarding (concerning, with respect to, in respect of, on the subject of) such demolitions and aims to prevent unscrupulous (unprincipled, unethical, immoral, dishonest, untrustworthy, shameless, exploitative, corrupt, fraudulent, deceitful) officials from backdating notices to create the impression (feeling, belief, thought, opinion, perception, image, view) that they were merely (only, simply, just) following up on previous eviction (removal, dispossession, dislodgement, clearance) notices. The order calls for 15 days’ notice, served (give out, present, provide, make available) on the owner by registered post, containing details of the violations (breach, contravention, infringement, breaking, non-observance) as well as the grounds (reason, cause, basis, pretext) for the action to be taken. A personal hearing (lawsuit, proceedings, inquiry, legal proceedings, legal action), a reasoned (logical, rational, sensible, clear, methodical, systematic, well expressed) order and an inspection report signed by witnesses have also been made mandatory. The authorities should designate (delegate, assign, allot, select, choose) a digital portal within three months, where these notices, replies and orders will be uploaded. What is additionally significant is that the Court has decided to make officials accountable (responsible, liable, answerable) for any violations, effectively (practically, virtually, actually, almost) preventing attempts to backdate (have an earlier date mentioned in (a document) than the actual date) notices. The order exempts (make an exception of/for, exclude, free from, not subject to, not liable to) necessary demolition of encroachments such as those on waterbodies, railway lines and public spaces from this process. It is now up to (the responsibility of (someone)) the local body authorities to both adhere to (comply with, abide by, conform to, stand by, stick to, follow, obey, observe) the guidelines and ensure compliance (observance, conformity, adherence, observation, accordance with, obedience), leaving little scope (chance, possibility, opportunity) for politically motivated and communally targeted demolitions.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.impunity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दंडमुक्ति, सज़ा से छूट
English Meaning - exemption from punishment, freedom from punishment, immunity, indemnity, non-liability.

2.intervention (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हस्तक्षेप, मध्यस्थता
English Meaning - the process of intervening in something; involvement, interference, arbitration, mediation, conciliation, peacemaking.

3.arbitrary (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - मनमाना
English Meaning - discretionary, personal, unmotivated, unreasonable, unsupported, irrational, illogical, groundless, unjustified.

4.targeted (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - लक्षित, निशाना
English Meaning - intended, directed (at a particular group).

5.punitive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - दंडात्मक, सुधारात्मक
English Meaning - disciplinary, corrective, retributive.

6.measure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उपाय, कदम
English Meaning - action, step, procedure.

7.alleged (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - कथित, आरोपित
English Meaning - supposed, claimed, professed, purported, reported, ostensible.

8.offender (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अपराधी, कानून तोड़ने वाला
English Meaning - criminal, culprit, wrongdoer, lawbreaker, perpetrator.

9.amount to (verb)

Hindi Meaning - बराबर होना, के समतुल्य होना
English Meaning - be equal to, be equivalent to, be tantamount to, represent.

10.wilful (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - जानबूझकर
English Meaning - deliberate, intentional, purposeful.

11.rule of law (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - कानून का शासन
English Meaning - it is described as “a principle of governance in which all persons, institutions and entities, public and private, including the State itself, are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced and independently adjudicated, and which are consistent with international human rights norms and standards.

12.eagerness (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उत्सुकता, तत्परता
English Meaning - enthusiasm, zeal, keenness, readiness, devotion, commitment.

13.inflict (verb)

Hindi Meaning - थोपना
English Meaning - impose, force, thrust; hand out, mete out, administer, exact.

14.collective punishment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सामूहिक दंड
English Meaning - a form of sanction/ban imposed on persons or a group of persons in response to a crime committed by one of them or a member of the group.

15.encroachment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अतिक्रमण
English Meaning - an unauthorized intrusion onto a neighboring property through the creation or extension of a physical structure above or below the surface of land; intrusion, infiltration, incursion, trespass, invasion, breach, violation, impingement.

16.raze (verb)

English Meaning - destroy, demolish, pull down, knock down, bulldoze, wipe out, fell.

17.bulldozer justice (noun)

English Meaning - the extra-legal measure of demolishing properties owned by alleged offenders, often without a proper legal process.

18.subversion (noun)

English Meaning - undermining, ruining, destruction.

19.proponent (noun)

English Meaning - champion, advocate, promoter, upholder, supporter, backer.

20.pass off (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - falsely represent, misrepresent, give a false identity to, dress up

21.machinery (noun)

English Meaning - system, structure, administration, apparatus.

22.spell (noun)

English Meaning - period, time, season, streak.

23.tensions (noun)

English Meaning - strained relations, strain, unease.

24.deployment (noun)

English Meaning - the use of something or someone in an effective way; utilization.

25.venture (verb)

English Meaning - put forward, suggest, propose, present, posit, moot.

26.put an end to (phrase)

English Meaning - bring to an end, stop, quell, quash, cancel, remove, get rid of, do away with.

27.lay down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - formulate, stipulate, frame, prescribe, promulgate.

28.due process (phrase)

English Meaning - (equally and fairly) correct process; fair treatment.

29.address (verb)

English Meaning - tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out.

30.arise from (verb)

English Meaning - start to happen, emerge, appear, come about.

31.spurt (noun)

English Meaning - sudden increase, rise, surge.

32.Bench (noun)

English Meaning - a court of law with a number of judges.

33.Constitution Bench (noun)

English Meaning - a bench of the Supreme Court having five or more judges on it. These benches are not a routine phenomenon. Constitution Benches are exceptions, set up only if some circumstances exist).

34.Division Bench (noun)

English Meaning - a bench of two or three judges is called a division bench.

35.recognise (verb)

English Meaning - realize, understand, perceive, acknowledge.

36.the fact that (phrase)

English Meaning - used to refer to a specific situation under consideration/discussion.

37.(the) accused (noun)

English Meaning - a person who is charged with a crime; a person who is prosecuted for a crime done.

38.offence (noun)

English Meaning - crime, wrongdoing, illegal act, misdeed; breach, violation of the law.

39.drive (noun)

English Meaning - push, initiative, enterprise.

40.have a bearing on (phrase)

English Meaning - have a relevance, relation or connection to something; have an influence, impact or effect on something.

41.guilty (adjective)

English Meaning - culpable, blameworthy, at fault, in the wrong, responsible.

42.executive (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a branch of government which enforces the law as written by the legislature and interpreted by the judiciary.

43.authorities (noun)

English Meaning - officials, officialdom, the people in charge, the bureaucracy.

44.take over (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - assume responsibility for, take charge of, assume control of.

45.penal (adjective)

English Meaning - punitive, disciplinary, corrective, retributive.

46.underpin (verb)

English Meaning - strengthen, fortify, support, bolster, reinforce.

47.breach (verb)

English Meaning - violate, break, infract, contravene, offend, transgress, go against.

48.allegedly (adverb)

English Meaning - reportedly, supposedly, purportedly, ostensibly, apparently.

49.seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, aim, attempt.

50.regarding (preposition)

English Meaning - concerning, with respect to, in respect of, on the subject of.

51.unscrupulous (adjective)

English Meaning - unprincipled, unethical, immoral, dishonest, untrustworthy, shameless, exploitative, corrupt, fraudulent, deceitful.

52.backdate (verb)

English Meaning - have an earlier date mentioned in (a document) than the actual date.

53.impression (noun)

English Meaning - feeling, belief, thought, opinion, perception, image, view.

54.merely (adverb)

English Meaning - only, simply, just.

55.eviction (noun)

English Meaning - removal, dispossession, dislodgement, clearance.

56.call for (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - require, publicly ask/necessitate, demand.

57.serve (verb)

English Meaning - give out, present, provide, make available.

58.violation (noun)

English Meaning - breach, contravention, infringement, breaking, non-observance.

59.grounds (noun)

English Meaning - reason, cause, basis, pretext.

60.hearing (noun)

English Meaning - lawsuit, proceedings, inquiry, legal proceedings, legal action.

61.reasoned (adjective)

English Meaning - logical, rational, sensible, clear, methodical, systematic, well expressed.

62.designate (verb)

English Meaning - delegate, assign, allot, select, choose.

63.accountable (adjective)

English Meaning - responsible, liable, answerable.

64.effectively (adverb)

English Meaning - practically, virtually, actually, almost.

65.exempt (verb)

English Meaning - make an exception of/for, exclude, free from, not subject to, not liable to.

66.up to (phrase)

English Meaning - the responsibility of (someone).

67.adhere to (verb)

English Meaning - comply with, abide by, conform to, stand by, stick to, follow, obey, observe.

68.compliance (noun)

English Meaning - observance, conformity, adherence, observation, accordance with, obedience.

69.scope (noun)

English Meaning - chance, possibility, opportunity.