Bombay HC refuses to stay razing of illegal school campus

The Bombay HC last week refused to stall the demolition of a school campus in Solapur, where 13 buildings have been constructed on 47.12 acres without requisite permissions. More than 3,500 students study in the school.

The division bench of justice SC Dharmadhikari and justice GS Patel not only dismissed a petition filed by Savitribai Phule Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, which runs the school, but also imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on it for filing a frivolous petition. The institution had approached the court after the Solapur Municipal Corporation issued notices to demolish the 13 buildings and also asked it to pay ₹9.42 crore towards development charges and penal interest.

The institution said the structures were constructed after obtaining necessary permissions and the issue was only about payment of the development charges.

However, noticing that the usage of plot was not even converted to non-agricultural purposes, the bench termed the construction illegal. The bench also turned down the institution’s plea to allow it to retain the construction. The court expressed anguish over the fact that the petitioner runs the educational institute in the name of one of the foremost educationists from the state – Savitribai Phule.