The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recently came out in support of the illegal destruction of a night shelter in Delhi’s Sarai Kale Khan that harboured 150 people, after being brought to its notice by the Legal Aid Clinic of Jindal Global Law School (JGLS).

On the suggestion of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) demolished the Sarai Kale Khan night shelter on February 15. The legal aid clinic of JGLS filed a complaint, claiming that the destruction was carried out without previous planning for replacement housing for the occupants. According to the clinic’s letter, this led to a substantial breach of human rights and the fundamental right to life entrenched in Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.

The Supreme Court had previously heard a petition contesting the destruction of the night shelter. When the petition was presented on February 15, a Bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and Dipankar Datta remarked that no stay could be imposed if the shelter was already dismantled and stated that it would address the issue of rehabilitating the occupants of the shelter.