Delhi HC pauses action near PM house

The Delhi High Court on May 19 told authorities not to take coercive action for the time being against residents who have not yet vacated three slum clusters near Lok Kalyan Marg, where the prime minister’s official residence is located. A bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia was hearing an appeal by residents of Bhai Ram Camp, DID Camp and Masjid Camp against a May 11 single-judge order that had refused to stop the eviction. The division bench listed the case for May 26 and asked both the authorities and the appellants to take instructions on “decent rehabilitation” for the residents. It also floated the idea of a commission to inspect basic facilities at the relocation site and sought the Centre’s stand on temporary metro and bus passes. ### Which settlements are covered by the court’s latest order? Bhai Ram Camp, DID Camp and Masjid Camp are the three settlements at the center of the case. The residents live near Lok Kalyan Marg in the Race Course area, close to the prime minister’s residence, and their petitions challenge eviction and relocation steps taken by authorities. (hindustantimes.com) May 11 is when Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav declined to interfere with the eviction and directed residents to vacate within 15 days. That order followed earlier eviction notices issued by the Land and Development Office in October 2025, with further notices in February 2026, according to court reporting. (hindustantimes.com) ### Why did the government say the evictions were needed? The Centre told the court the jhuggi-jhopdi clusters were in a protected zone next to an operational Air Force Station. It said the removal of unauthorized structures was meant to strengthen and secure defence infrastructure and serve other public and security purposes. (hindustantimes.com) Justice Kaurav’s May 11 order recorded those national security arguments and said “contemporary geopolitical events” were among the specific reasons cited for eviction. The single judge also held that the court should not be “too eager” to interfere with such executive policy decisions, while directing authorities to follow rehabilitation requirements under Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board policy. (hindustantimes.com) ### Where are residents being asked to move? Savda Ghevra in outer Delhi is the relocation site identified by the authorities. Court reporting said the colony is about 45 kilometres away from the existing camps near the prime minister’s residence. The Centre told the court that in-situ rehabilitation was not possible because no alternative accommodation was available nearby. (hindustantimes.com) Authorities said 717 dwellers from the three slums were to be shifted there. The May 11 order also recorded that 192 dwellers had accepted allotment letters and 136 had already taken possession of flats. (indianexpress.com) ### What are residents saying about the move to Savda Ghevra? More than 700 families have appealed the single-judge order, saying relocation that far away would disrupt livelihoods and schooling. The residents have argued that most of them work in blue-collar jobs near the present camps and that moving to Savda Ghevra would make commuting difficult. (hindustantimes.com) Senior Advocate N. Hariharan, appearing for the residents, urged the court to view the dispute “as a human problem,” according to Indian Express. The residents have also complained about missing basic amenities at the relocation site, including sanitation, water access and schools, while continuing to seek in-situ rehabilitation. (indianexpress.com) ### What did the judges say about rehabilitation this week? Chief Justice Upadhyaya said the court could send a commission to check sanitation and water supply at Savda Ghevra. He also said the bench would ask authorities to consider free bus passes and metro passes from the colony to current workplaces for three years, according to Indian Express’s account of the hearing. (indianexpress.com) The May 19 bench did not set aside the earlier eviction ruling. Instead, it paused coercive steps for now while it examined whether rehabilitation arrangements were adequate and sought responses from government lawyers, including Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma and central government standing counsel Ashish Dixit. (indianexpress.com) ### What happens on May 26? May 26 is the next hearing date set by the division bench. The court has asked the authorities and the appellants to come back with instructions on rehabilitation, and it has also sought the Centre’s stand on travel support and other facilities for residents moved to Savda Ghevra. (hindustantimes.com)