New Delhi, April 21, 2025 – The Supreme Court on Tuesday tore into Andhra Pradesh tehsildar P. Venkata Narayana for defying a 2013 Andhra Pradesh High Court order by leading the demolition of Hyderabad slums with 80 policemen, threatening his immediate arrest for contempt. Justice BR Gavai, heading the bench, fumed, “Does he think he’s above the High Court? No concession for those who disrespect the law!” The court demanded why Narayana, tasked with welcoming VIPs, orchestrated the clearance despite a stay order, per NDTV.
The case stems from a 2013 directive barring slum demolitions in Hyderabad’s Kancha Gachibowli, home to 1,200 low-income families. Narayana’s team razed 200 homes in March 2025, claiming encroachment on government land earmarked for IT development (The Indian Express). “You took 80 policemen to violate an order?” Justice Gavai asked, ordering Narayana to restore the site or face jail (NDTV). The court’s ire follows its April 3 stay on Kancha Gachibowli tree-felling, where 400 acres were cleared (The Hindu).
X buzzes with outrage—“Courts standing for the poor!”—but some defend the state: “Slums block progress” (X post). Hyderabad’s 2024 saw 1,500 encroachment cases, 60% tied to urban expansion (GHMC). “It’s development versus dignity,” a slum dweller told The Economic Times. Andhra’s 5 crore voters, hit by 2024’s 7% unemployment, feel the tension—IT hubs promise 5 lakh jobs (MSME Ministry). BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s jab at the court’s “encroachment” on executive turf adds fuel (The Indian Express).
The court’s stance, echoed in its Waqf Act probe, signals judicial muscle. For India’s 140 crore, it’s a justice test—will Narayana’s defiance cost him, or slip through?
