The Allahabad High Court has extended the deadline for responding to notifications about the destruction of “unauthorised” projects along the Kundasar-Mahasi-Nanpara-Maharajganj route in Bahraich by 15 days, which is a major reprieve for the affected persons.

The state authorities were asked by the Lucknow bench to examine the submissions and provide a well-reasoned verdict based on them, while the affected parties were instructed to submit their reply within this time frame. The following hearing has been set by the court for October 23.

Following their consideration of a PIL submitted by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, a bench consisting of Justices A R Masoodi and Subhash Vidyarthi issued the relevant ruling.

The demolition campaign in Bahraich has stopped as a result of the special bench’s decisions. The court said, “We further provide that the competent authority shall consider and decide the same by passing a speaking and reasoned order, which shall be communicated to the parties aggrieved,” if they submit their answers to the notifications within a period of 15 days from today.

In the middle of shooting and stone-pelting on October 13, during an idol immersion in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, one Ram Gopal Mishra was slain. Arson attacks broke out in a number of locations after Mishra’s passing. The enraged crowd assaulted a number of public and private buildings, including businesses, bike dealerships, and hospitals.

In response to the disturbances in the region, the state PWD used the Road Control Act of 1964 to issue notices to 23 enterprises. The PWD measured 20–25 homes on Friday during their inspections of the Maharajganj neighborhood, including the residence of Abdul Hamid, one of the people charged with Mishra’s murder.