Delhi High Court issues notice on plea seeking recovery for damage to public properties during CAA protests

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The Delhi High Court bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla has issued notice to the  Centre, Delhi Government and Delhi Police on a public interest litigation (PIL) for directions to identify and recover damages from persons who caused damage to public properties during protests against and for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

Seeking response from the Union of India through the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Government of NCT Delhi and Delhi Police, the Court has listed the matter for September.

Filed through Adv. Hinu Mahajan on behalf of a law student named Amandeep Singh Gehlot, the petition states that the student visited various places of Delhi and was "shocked and saddened" to see the damage caused to public properties during the riots - by protestors in favour or against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

It has also been alleged that the process has caused huge loss to the Government exchequer that has incurred the cost of the actions by the authorities and police to take preventive and other actions.

The petition, therefore, sought directions for the setting up of an independent machinery to investigate damage caused and to ascertain the cost related thereto.

It has been alleged that the Supreme Court ruling in this regard has been ignored by the respondents.

Cause Title: Hinu Mahajan & Anr vs Union of India and Ors.