Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Sanskriti Jain got a major relief from a division bench of the High Court. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf has temporarily stayed the single bench’s conviction and sentencing process for contempt. It is noteworthy that the question of sentencing was scheduled to be heard on Friday before a single bench headed by Justice Vishal Mishra, where the commissioner was required to appear in person and present her case. However, just before the hearing, an application was filed before the division bench seeking a stay on the sentence, which the court accepted. The entire controversy stems from a petition filed by Merlin Buildcon Private Limited. The petitioner alleged that the Municipal Corporation demolished the front portion of their property on November 18, 2025, without following due legal process.

 

During the hearing on Thursday, the single bench headed by Justice Vishal Mishra found that this action by the Municipal Corporation was a clear violation of the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court in 2025. The court strongly remarked that the petitioner was neither given a personal hearing nor was any final order passed before the demolition, which is against the principles of natural justice. During the hearing, the High Court also indicated that if the Municipal Corporation tendered an unconditional apology and assured to restore the demolished portion, the matter could be considered sympathetically. However, Jain clarified that restoring the construction was not possible. Given this stance, the single bench considered this a violation of the Supreme Court’s orders and convicted Sanskriti Jain under Section 2(b) of the Contempt of Court Act, 1971. However, the threat of punishment has been averted following the intervention of the Chief Justice’s bench.