Taking note of the submissions made by the amicus curiae, SC declines to transfer the proceedings pending before the Delhi High Court.

“Having regard to the aforesaid, we accept the suggestions of the learned amicus curiae and do not disturb the position of the case before the Delhi High Court. The High Court is requested to monitor the case at short intervals,” the Bench says.

The Bench posts the matter for further hearing on September 15 to review compliance affidavits filed by the concerned civic authorities in Delhi and Lucknow pursuant to its earlier directions.

-Aaratrika Bhaumik

Acknowledging that substantial progress has been made pursuant to the High Court’s directions, the Bench says it is not inclined to transfer the proceedings to itself.

“We will leave it there since substantial progress has been made,” the Bench says, noting that the authorities have responded positively to the High Court’s directions.

“Let it be there for the time being so that it remains more focused,” the Bench adds.

-Aaratrika Bhaumik

Senior Advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha says that, pursuant to the Delhi High Court’s directions, demolition of unauthorised structures in Lajpat Nagar and Sarojini Nagar has begun. He suggests that the proceedings before the High Court need not be transferred to the Supreme Court, which can instead monitor the matter.

The High Court is separately hearing a petition seeking a comprehensive probe into the Satya Niketan incident. On September 7, it ordered an inquiry into the tragedy and directed safety inspections of PG facilities falling within the MCD’s jurisdiction.

-Aaratrika Bhaumik

The Bench flags overcrowding and inadequate safety arrangements at paying guest (PG) facilities in Delhi.

“They pack 100 students in one room… there is no adequate ingress or egress,” the Bench says.

-Aaratrika Bhaumik

Senior advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha, the court-appointed amicus curiae, tells the Bench that instances of residential premises being put to unauthorised commercial use are on the rise. 

He points out that the Delhi High Court had earlier ordered an inquiry into the Satya Niketan building collapse and directed safety inspections of paying guest facilities falling within the MCD’s jurisdiction. He says he has to acknowledge that pursuant to the High Court’s directions “things are moving” and some remedial action has begun on the ground.

-Aaratrika Bhaumik

The Supreme Court tells SG Mehta not to treat the matter as adversarial.

“After two months, you will understand why we are saying this. Have faith in us. We have never taken this matter as adversarial… we need assistance from you. We will take care of your apprehensions,” the Bench says.

The Bench is hearing ongoing proceedings relating to violation of land-use norms and building bye-laws. In March, the apex court had widened the scope of the proceedings and sought information from civic bodies in several State capitals, including Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Chennai and Kolkata, on action taken against similar violations.

-Aaratrika Bhaumik

A Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan says it proposes to issue directions to restrict non-conforming use of land in Delhi.

“Residential areas are in a mess... children cannot play, elders cannot walk,” the Bench says.

The Bench also tells Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Police, that it will not allow the Delhi High Court to hear petitions related to the Satya Niketan building collapse.

“Since it is a local issue, may it be handled by the Delhi High Court,” SG Mehta says.

“It will be more in control if the proceedings are before us,” the Bench responds.

-Aaratrika Bhaumik

The street from Delhi University’s (DU) Arts Faculty towards Vijay Nagar, a student hub, is dotted with posters advertising rooms for as little as ₹3,500 in Christian Colony.

One such room is where Rahul, 25, a PhD student, lives. He turned into a narrow lane and climbed an unlit staircase to reach it. Barely six feet wide, the room is typical of the cramped spaces in Christian Colony where students find accommodation at relatively low rents.

“This area is like a slum full of DU students. People live here only because they cannot afford anything else,” said Mr. Rahul.

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The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) continued its demolition and enforcement drive against dangerous buildings, unauthorised construction and violations of building norms across all 12 zones of the national capital on Thursday (September 10), days after the collapse of a paying guest accommodation in Satya Niketan killed seven people and injured at least five.

Visuals from areas such as Laxmi Nagar, Jagatpuri and Pandav Nagar showed civic teams carrying out demolition and enforcement action against structures found in violation of building norms.

In the last 2-3 days, MCD teams also carried out action in Vishwas Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, Jamia Nagar, Shaheen Bagh, Tilak Nagar, Karam Pura, Karol Bagh, Ramesh Nagar, Mansarovar Garden, Chandni Chowk and Nehru Vihar, with the drive expected to continue there.

-PTI

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) issued notice to the Centre, Delhi government and Delhi University (DU) on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking formulation of a comprehensive policy to establish safe, affordable, and adequate hostel facilities for students of Delhi University across the Capital.

A bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued the notice while posting it for hearing on September 25, when another PIL on a similar issue is also listed for hearing.

The petition, filed by Mr. Vinod Jakhar through advocate Vimal Tyagi, also sought immediate safety measures for students currently living in private paying guest (PG) accommodations and private hostels, including structural and fire-safety audits of such premises.

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The Delhi police on Wednesday arrested Sudhanshu Lovneesh, a 31-year-old operator of the paying guest (PG) facility housed in the five-storey building that collapsed in south-west Delhi’s Satya Niketan killing at least seven persons and injuring several others.

The police also formally arrested labour contractor Sanoj Kumar, who had been apprehended in Uttar Pradesh’s Kasganj a day earlier. He was produced before a Delhi court along with Mr. Lovneesh. The court remanded them in two days’ police custody. The proceedings were held in camera after Mr. Lovneesh’s counsel claimed that “a media trial” was prejudicing the ongoing probe, a police officer said.

Here’s the full story

It was not an accident. It was an apocalypse manufactured by bureaucratic indifference, administrative apathy, and money-hungry politicians who treat student housing as a private cash machine. 

Life before that afternoon and life after it are two different countries. Thousands of Delhi University students and their parents now carry a permanent weight of dread and collective elegy. We watched the rescue teams arrive two hours late, then work with shocking inefficiency, in the heart of the national capital. We hung our heads in shame because we could do nothing except share videos and wait.

For this specific crime, attempt-to-murder cases must be registered against the MCD Commissioner. He should be arrested, dismissed from service under Article 311, and his political boss sacked. Anything less is theatre. These students died of a system built to protect power, not people.

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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from RK Puram Anil Sharma runs an illegal paying guest (PG) “mafia” in the Satya Niketan area, days after a building collapse there claimed seven lives.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha showed a video of a building allegedly owned by Mr. Sharma. He alleged that the building had been constructed with 100% coverage, whereas building norms require at least 25% of the space to be left for utility purposes. 

However, Mr. Sharma refuted the allegations. “The building shown in the photograph [by the AAP] has a stilt parking level, along with the ground, first, second and third floors. There is no fourth floor,” he said.

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Days after seven people were killed in the collapse of an illegally constructed building being used as a paying guest (PG) facility in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, the Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) indicated that it may expand its court-monitored exercise against illegal constructions and the unauthorised use of residential premises to examine the safety of student accommodation across the country.

A Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan said it would take up the matter on Thursday (September 10, 2026) after the court-appointed amicus curiae sought a time-bound safety audit of PG facilities, private hostels and other student accommodation in and around colleges across Delhi.

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