India, April 27 -- The Supreme Court on Monday restrained the Gujarat government from taking any coercive measures against land and properties held by the ashram of self-styled godman Asaram Bapu in Ahmedabad, observing that the municipal authorities' show-cause notice "prima facie lacked material particulars".

A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta ordered maintenance of status quo, effectively putting on hold the April 17 judgment of the Gujarat high court that had cleared the way for the state to reclaim around 45,000 square metres of land occupied by the Sant Shri Asaram Ashram in Motera, near the Narendra Modi Stadium.

The land forms part of a larger 650-acre parcel earmarked for the proposed Sardar Patel Sports Enclave,...