Overview

• The court found that the tehsildar demolished the Athagarh community centre on December 24, 2024, despite an existing stay order and a pending appeal, constituting contempt of court.
• It directed the Odisha government to pay Rs10 lakh in compensation to the petitioners, with Rs2 lakh to be recovered from the responsible tehsildar’s salary.
• Departmental proceedings have been ordered against the tehsildar and the chief secretary must issue detailed demolition guidelines aligned with Supreme Court procedures.
• Justice Dr. S K Panigrahi characterized the demolition as a stark example of “bulldozer justice,” where executive force supplants legal due process.
• The community centre had been rebuilt between 2016 and 2018 using public funds under state development schemes on land classified as grazing grounds.