No eviction without notice! Orissa High Court orders BMC & CMC commissioners

The Orissa High Court on Wednesday instructed the Commissioners of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) to issue a notice of 15 days before carrying out any removal of illegal encroachments. 

This directive mandates that evictions in the respective city areas must not occur without prior notification. The High Court underscored the necessity of adhering strictly to the Odisha Municipal Corporation Act during these operations.

This legal action comes after grievances were filed in the High Court over the eviction tactics employed by the municipal bodies, allegedly executed without sufficient notice. Such actions spurred public uproar.

During a virtual hearing, representatives from both municipal bodies made their statements. The next hearing on the matter has been scheduled for February 17.

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Earlier a few days back, tension ran high at the Rajmahal Square in Bhubaneswar after street vendors hit the streets against their eviction. Claiming the eviction has jeopardised their livelihoods, the demonstrators rallied in large numbers, wielding placards and chanting slogans to draw attention to their plight.

The vendors argued that forced evictions without adequate rehabilitation schemes would threaten their means of survival. The massive rally was taken from Master Canteen Square to Unit-I market and the vendors raised slogans against the government.