J&K High Court orders ₹86 lakh compensation for arbitrary demolition, cancellation of land rights after 62 years

The Jammu & Kashmir High Court awarded ₹86 lakh compensation for arbitrary demolition of a Srinagar property without notice. Justice Sindhu Sharma held the Srinagar Municipal Corporation violated due process and right to property under Article 300A. The 2018 demolition destroyed a family's commercial building allegedly for road widening, but without any official project documentation. The judgment calculates compensation based on current market value plus 12 years' lost rental income. This strong judicial response deters civic bodies from extra-legal demolitions while providing meaningful redress to victims. The SMC was directed to recover the amount from responsible officers if they acted maliciously. The case sets precedent for enhanced compensation in unlawful property seizures across India.