High Court PIL Targets Jamshedpur’s Illegal Building Racket and JNAC Non-Compliance

Jamshedpur/Ranchi: A major legal controversy has erupted in Jharkhand regarding widespread violations of building bylaws and non-compliance with a landmark Supreme Court directive. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Jharkhand High Court, accusing local authorities and builders of running an illegal nexus that bypasses mandatory Completion and Occupancy Certificates.

Supreme Court’s Mandatory Directive on Occupancy Certificates

In a judgment dated December 17, 2024, the Supreme Court of India—in Civil Appeal Nos. 14604 and 14605 (Rajendra Kumar Barjatya and Rajiv Gupta vs. UP Awas Vikas Parishad)—ruled that Municipal Commissioners must ensure strict compliance with building bylaws.

According to the apex court’s order, before approving any building blueprint or issuing a construction permit, builders must submit a mandatory affidavit. This affidavit must explicitly state that no building, floor, or flat will be sold or handed over to any buyer without obtaining a valid Completion and Occupancy Certificate.

The Supreme Court had forwarded copies of this order to the Chief Secretaries of all states, directing strict implementation. However, allegations have surfaced that the Chief Secretary of Jharkhand failed to enforce the order, leading to a complete disregard of the apex court’s mandate across the state.

The Jamshedpur Reality: 2,000 Buildings Constructed, Only 28 Certificates Issued

The scale of the alleged irregularities is particularly severe within the jurisdiction of the Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC).

• The Numbers: Over the last 20 years, JNAC has sanctioned blueprints and issued construction permits for approximately 2,000 buildings. However, out of these, only 28 Completion and Occupancy Certificates have been issued in two decades.
• Show-Cause Notices Ignored: JNAC reportedly served show-cause notices to more than 650 builders over the past 15 years. Despite this, not a single final order has been passed against any builder.

The Alleged Nexus: Experts and activists allege that JNAC officials deliberately avoided passing final orders on these show-cause notices. Passing an order would legally obligate JNAC to demolish the illegal structures before issuing compliance certificates. Instead, it is alleged that illegal buildings have become a continuous source of illicit income for corrupt officials and builders, leaving flat buyers vulnerable and without legal safety certificates.

Jharkhand High Court Intervenes via PIL

Challenging this alleged illegal racket and the open defiance of the Supreme Court’s order, activist Arun Kumar Singh filed a Public Interest Litigation (WP(PIL) No. 7877/2025) in the Jharkhand High Court.

After hearing arguments from the petitioner’s advocates, Akhilesh Srivastava and Neha Agrawal, the High Court passed a key directive. The court ruled that the petitioner can re-file the PIL by specifically impleading (making parties to the case) certain buildings in Jamshedpur or across Jharkhand that are in direct violation of the Supreme Court’s mandate. This move paves the way for stricter judicial scrutiny of illegal constructions in the state.