Supreme Court directs Indian municipal bodies to seal residential properties used for commerce

The Supreme Court of India has directed municipal authorities nationwide to take action against residential properties being used for commercial purposes. A bench comprising Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan ordered that non-compliant properties be identified and sealed to prevent the strain placed on local infrastructure by improper land-use conversions.

The court emphasized that enforcement must be conducted without discrimination, warning that authorities will face strict judicial scrutiny if they employ a ‘pick and choose method’ during inspections. While the directive includes evaluating areas without clear residential or commercial zoning, the bench specified that no enforcement action should be taken against such ambiguous zones at this time.

This pan-India directive follows the expansion of a petition originally focused on unauthorized constructions in Chennai. The court noted widespread violations of building bylaws and land-use regulations, observing that completed structures are frequently diverted from their originally sanctioned functions.