The Supreme Court has temporarily halted the Gujarat government's efforts to seize land and properties held by the ashram of self-proclaimed godman Asaram Bapu in Ahmedabad.
A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta ordered the maintenance of status quo, effectively putting on hold the April 17 judgment of the Gujarat high court that cleared the way for the state to reclaim around 45,000 square meters of land occupied by the ashram.
The land is part of a larger 650-acre parcel earmarked for the proposed Sardar Patel Sports Enclave, including an Olympic Village and allied infrastructure tied to Ahmedabad's bid for the 2036 Olympics and preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
The top court's intervention came after it found apparent deficiencies in the state's show-cause notice, which 'prima facie lacked material particulars.'
The bench also questioned the state's shifting position over the years, noting that portions of the land initially described as encroachments had been regularized by the authorities.
The matter is now listed for May 5, with the bench directing that status quo be maintained in the interim.
