Jodhpur, Aug. 27 -- The Rajasthan high court has stayed an order issued by the Urban Development and Housing (UDH) Department that sought to legitimise illegal colonies built on land originally acquired for the Rajasthan Housing Board (RHB), a lawyer familiar with the case said on Tuesday. The court's interim directive, passed in response to a PIL filed by Public Against Corruption body, also mandated the demolition of encroachments and action against errant officials. The division bench, comprising justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and justice Sanjeet Purohit, issued the order, while hearing the petition challenging the UDH's circular dated March 12. The petitioners argued that the government's directive contravened a recent Supreme Court judgment and undermined the original purpose of land acquisition from farmers for public housing projects. Highlighting the conflict, the HC noted that the UDH order "apparently goes contrary to the judgment passed by the Supreme Court in the case of Rajendra Kumar Barjatya & Anr. Vs. U.P. Avas Vikas Parishad & Ors. The HC observed prima facie that the March 12 circular permitted the regularisation of illegal colonies and encroachments on public land, vitiating the acquisition's intent and causing substantial financial loss to the public exchequer. "We would, therefore, not allow such action," the bench stated, emphasising the need to protect public resources. As part of the interim relief, the court directed that the effect and operation of the UDH order remain until the PIL's final disposal. It further ordered the demolition and removal of any encroachments on the RHB-acquired land and called for "proper action" against officials who permitted such illegal constructions. Notices were issued to the respondents, with the state government represented by Additional Advocate General Manoj Sharma and associates. The matter is slated for the next hearing in eight weeks....