Independent Councillor’s Farmhouse Demolished by Administration in Ashoknagar

Ashoknagar: In a major administrative action, officials in Ashoknagar, Madhya Pradesh, demolished the illegal portion of a farmhouse belonging to independent municipal councillor Shahnaz Bano, which was encroaching on government land. The operation took place on Saturday at her property on Piparai Road.

The demolition was carried out with the assistance of two JCB machines, in the presence of Tehsildar Bharathendu Yadav, SDOP Vivek Sharma, officials from the PWD department, and seven revenue and police personnel. Authorities removed the illegal boundary wall, gate, and other parts of the farmhouse that extended into government land adjacent to the road.

Prior Notice Served
The councillor had earlier received a legal notice (Notice No. 1257 dated 1 December 2025) from the Tehsildar’s court, directing her to appear on 18 December 2025. Acting on this, the administration took action after confirming that the property encroached upon government land.

Family Raises Questions Over Demolition
Shahnaz Bano, an independent councillor of the Ashoknagar Municipal Council, and her son, Rashid Khan Chinna, who is also an independent councillor, have raised concerns over the demolition. Rashid Khan claims that at the time of construction, rules required a 35-foot setback, while they had left 65 feet before building the farmhouse. Despite this, the administration treated it as encroachment and carried out the demolition. He described the move as a “one-sided action,” questioning whether any building in the city would remain untouched under similar enforcement.

The demolition has sparked debate over administrative procedures and adherence to construction norms in the district.