'Time can't cure illegality': SC orders demolition of illegal structures in UP's Meerut

The Supreme Court of India has ordered the demolition of all unauthorized structures in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. The court ruled that illegal constructions cannot be regularized by the passage of time and emphasized that authorities must enforce planning laws strictly.
Why it matters
This ruling sets a significant legal precedent in India against the regularization of illegal urban development and reinforces the authority of municipal planning laws.
The Supreme Court has ordered the demolition of all unauthorised structures, including illegal additions in economically weaker section (EWS) houses and encroachments in setback areas, across Meerut and its outskirts, ruling that illegal constructions cannot be legitimised by the passage of time or official inaction, while also declaring that courts, as guardians of rights, cannot hesitate to tell people things they do not want to hear.“No man is above the law, and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man’s permission when we ask him to obey it. Obedience to the law is demanded as a right; not asked as a favor.
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