PRAYAGRAJ, July 22 -- The Allahabad high court on Monday delivered a split verdict on whether courts can issue directions to curb "bulldozer justice", with one judge proposing a two-year bar on demolition of an accused person's house after registration of an FIR, while the other held that such a blanket direction cannot be issued. The matter has now been referred to the Chief Justice for consideration by a third judge.

Justice Atul Sreedharan observed that the State was demolishing the houses of persons accused of offences "to satiate the perceived blood lust of a society fed on a staple diet of bulldozer justice".

"The State is certain that the society suffers from collective schadenfreude and shall applaud the State for dispensing vig...