The Bombay High Court today directed that status quo be maintained at the scam-tainted Adarsh Society building in south Mumbai, pending hearing on a latest petition filed by Defence Ministry.
A division bench of Justices P B Majmudar and R D Dhanuka was hearing a petition filed by the Union Ministry of Defence seeking implementation of an order passed by the Ministry of Environment and Forest directing demolition of the Adarsh building. The Ministry of Environment and Forest had on January 14 last year ordered for demolition of the building for violation of Coastal Regulation Zone norms.
According to the defence ministry, the society is built inside Colaba military station in south Mumbai and was a security threat as it looks over vital installations of the defence ministry. Justice Majmudar said that no one has the right to ignore the security of the nation, as defence of the country is first and rest all is secondary.

The court has said that concerned authorities are restrained from issuing No Objection Certificate, Occupation Certificate, Commencement Certificate or any other development facility to the society pending hearing of this petition. The bench also observed that the state government before granting permission to Adarsh should have insisted on an NOC from the defence ministry.The court has posted the petition for hearing on 30th of April.