Gauhati High Court Asks State's Finance Dept About Compensation To 'Batadrava Police Station Arson' Accused Whose Houses Were Demolished

The Gauhati High Court on Friday granted a week's time to State's Finance Department to apprise the Court as to by what time the compensation would be paid to those whose houses at Batadrava in Assam Nagaon's district were demolished by Assam Police in May, 2022.

The said affected persons are accused of arson in Batadrava Police Station in May, 2022 and their houses were allegedly bulldozed in the aftermath of the fire.

The division bench of Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Suman Shyam was hearing a suo moto PIL. It was informed by the Counsel appearing for the Home and Political (A) Department, Government of Assam, that the amount of compensation has already been determined and the matter is referred to the Finance Department for payment of compensation to the six persons, whose houses were demolished.

The Court granted a week's time to Finance Department to apprise the Court as to by what time the compensation would be paid to the affected persons pursuant to the proposal sent by the Home and Political (A) Department, Government of Assam.

Furthermore, in a separate writ petition [WP(C) No. 239/2024] filed by a woman whose husband was subjected to custodial death in Batadrava, for seeking appropriate compensation from the State of Assam, the Court granted last opportunity of a week's time to the State Government to file reply to the said writ petition as even after lapse of considerable time, no reply to the writ petition was filed by the State.

“Mr. D. Nath, learned Senior Government Advocate, Assam prays for and is Page No.# 4/4 granted last opportunity of a week's time to file reply to the writ petition. Mr. Nath is further directed to respond as to why interim compensation be not granted to the petitioner during the pendency of this writ petition [WP(C) No.239/2024],” the Court directed.

Both the writ petitions are again listed on May 14.

Case Title: XXX v. In Re-The State of Assam & 4 Ors.

Case No.: PIL(Suo Moto)/3/2022

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