SC asks Delhi govt not to demolish night shelters

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Delhi government not to demolish any temporary or permanent nigh shelter in view of the razing cold in the national capital.

Taking suo moto cognizance of media reports, a bench of justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma listed the matter for urgent hearing on Thursday, pointing that taking up the issue after February, as originally scheduled, would serve no purpose.

The SC bench refrained the Delhi government from demolishing such shelters and said, ?Do not take any steps to demolish otherwise we will pass orders.?

Delhi government?s counsel submitted that 64 permanent and 43 temporary nigh shelters have been set up, to which the apex court bench said that it was more concerned about demolition of shelters.

Media reports had claimed that night shelters were being demolished in the national capital, which would have a severe adverse effect on the thousands of destitutes who take shelter in such facilities.