SRM University Demolition Row | Allahabad High Court Bars Coercive Action Till District Magistrate Decides Interim Relief Plea

A bench of Justice Alok Mathur passed this order on a writ plea filed by the Shri Ramswaroop Memorial Educational Trust, Lko, through its Managing Trustee, challenging the state's action of demolishing a portion of the University premises.

The court has provided that the coercive action shall remain stayed until the District Magistrate, Lucknow, decides the Trust's interim relief plea filed along with its appeal against the order passed against it under Section 67 of the 2006 Code.

Briefly put, the bench was apprised by the petitioners that the Assistant Collector, 1st Grade, Tehsil Nawabganj, District Barabanki, had passed the eviction order against the Trust on 25 August 2025 and its certified copy was obtained on 4 September.

Subsequently, the petitioners moved an appeal against that order before the District Magistrate concerned on September 6. The matter is now fixed for admission on September 25.

In the meantime, demolition of a portion of the University premises had allegedly commenced, prompting the Trust to move the High Court on grounds of urgency.

On Wednesday, the counsel for the petitioners submitted that their grievance would stand substantially redressed if their application for interim relief (filed along with the appeal) is considered expeditiously. The State raised no objection to this prayer.

Accordingly, the Court disposed of the writ petition and directed the petitioner to file all materials he requires to present to the appellate authority by filing a supplementary affidavit by September 15 at the latest.

In turn, the Court asked the respondents in the appeal/State to file their response by September 18 and serve a copy on the petitioners/appellants.

Furthermore, the bench directed the District Magistrate to hear the parties on the application for interim relief on the date already fixed (September 25) and dispose of the application for interim relief on the date fixed.

"In case of any legal impediment or other cogent reason the case has to be adjourned, he shall be at liberty to fix another date within next ten days as per his convenience and also as per the convenience of the parties and shall dispose of the application for interim relief on that date in accordance with law", the Court provided further.

In view of these directions, the court also provided that until appropriate orders are passed by the appellate authority, no coercive action shall be taken against the petitioner in pursuance of the orders dated August 25.