HC emergency bench stays demolition of sports complex

Lucknow, July 10 (UNI) An emergency bench of the Allahabad High Court here has stayed the demolition of Ambedkar Sports Complex and posted the matter for further hearing on July 19.

A bench of Justices Pradip Kant and D P Singh stayed the demolition around 0300 hrs today.

In a dramatic development on Monday night, the state government had reportedly ordered the complex officials to vacate premises within four hours so that it could be demolished. It is claimed that the multi-crore Gomti Nagar stadium would soon be transformed into Chief Minister Mayawati's dream project, the Kanshi Ram literary centre.

The Gomti Nagar stadium houses sports infrastructure worth Rs 20 crore, including six tennis courts, two badminton courts, swimming pools and a gymnasium.

The Urgency Bench gave its decision on a petition filed by one Prashant Chandra on behalf of the Sports Complex.

During a second hearing later today, the court ordered vice-chairman of Lucknow Development Authority (LDA), SSP (Lucknow) and Secretary (Sports) of the UP government to record their statements.

Advocate General Jyotindra Mishra informed the court that there were no plans to demolish the complex. He said the bulldozers were placed there to be moved on to another location.

The urgency bench of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has given the government three days' time to file a counter reply and another three days day to the petitioner to file a counter affidavit.

The court, while staying the reported demolition, has posted the matter for further hearing on July 19.

Interestingly, Ms Mayawati, who during her earlier stint as CM, had inaugurated the stadium in 1994 and named it Dr B R Ambedkar Stadium.

UNI