No demolishing private buildings without serving notice to owner: Chief Secretary

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Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan has issued guidelines to the Local Self-Government, other departments, and District Collectors on demolishing private buildings. The move comes as part of the state’s measures to implement the Supreme Court order on demolitions issued on November 13, 2024.
The Chief Secretary has said no private building should be pulled down without giving advance notice to the owner or occupant. The guidelines also state that authorities launch a special web portal to inform all stakeholders about the demolition procedures.
The officials concerned have also been warned of contempt of court proceedings if the guidelines are violated. If a building is demolished by flouting the guidelines, the officers would be liable to pay the compensation and meet the expenses for reconstruction.
Other instructions of the Chief Secretary
The notice for demolition should be sent by registered post.
The building owner should be given a period of 15 days to approach the court. The owner should be granted another 15 days if they are willing to demolish the building on their own. If the owner resorts to neither of these steps, the building can be demolished.
The District Collector should be informed when a notice for demolition is issued by the local bodies.
All local bodies should launch a web portal that allows the public to upload details on demolition procedures within three months.
The owner should be summoned for a hearing to learn their version. The local bodies should specify the reason for rejecting their demand not to demolish the building. If demolition is the only option, the reason should be mentioned.
If demolition is carried out, the signatures of two witnesses have to be collected, visuals of the procedure recorded, and the report uploaded to the portal.
Demolition on public land
At the same time, these guidelines do not apply to demolishing buildings and other constructions located on government land, such as roads, lanes, footpaths, railway tracks and water bodies. The guidelines need not be followed while carrying out demolition on public land based on court orders also, said the Chief Secretary.