Allahabad HC orders eviction from Lucknow college land within three months

The Allahabad High Court has ordered the Lucknow district magistrate to clear encroachments from a college's land within three months. It underscored that the alleged occupant's links to the finance minister must not influence official action.Lucknow,Oct 10, 2026 10:18 ISTThe Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has directed the Lucknow district magistrate to remove all unauthorised encroachments from the land of Ram Bharose Maiku Lal Inter College in the Telibagh area within three months. The court also said the fact that one of the alleged occupants is the personal relations officer of the state finance minister must not affect the discharge of the district magistrate's duties.Hearing a petition by the college's management committee on Wednesday, Justice Pankaj Bhatia directed the district magistrate to ensure full compliance with the order and submit a report within three months. The court also said any interference by Sukhpal Singh, the college's former principal and the finance minister's PRO, in the eviction process would be viewed seriously.The court further directed that a copy of its order be sent to the finance minister. The management committee has alleged that Singh received house rent allowance while serving as the college principal from 1988 until January 31, 2017, but continued to occupy the official residence even after retirement. It has also sought recovery of rent at the prevailing rate for the period of the alleged unauthorised occupation.A report submitted by the state told the court that when the college was granted recognition, the management committee had identified land under gata numbers 41 and 44 as the institution's property. According to the report, the land included the school building, the principal's office, the school office, other structures and vacant land. It said several parts of the property had been encroached upon by different people, including Singh, who did not vacate the official residence after retirement. Singh's counsel argued that the property was originally occupied by his grandfather and that he was living there by inheritance. However, no documents were produced in court to support the claim. The order requires the district administration to clear the encroachments from the college land and report back to the court within three months.- Ends