Chief Justice B.R. Gavai on Friday told a gathering in Mauritius that the Indian legal system is governed by the rule of law and “not by bulldozer”, referring to the trend of the government razing houses of those accused in criminal cases.

“The judgment sent a clear message that the Indian legal system is governed by the rule of law, not by the rule of the bulldozer,” Chief Justice Gavai told the gathering at the inaugural Sir Maurice Rault Memorial Lecture 2025 on “Rule of Law in the Largest Democracy” in Mauritius, where he is on a three-day official visit.

Last year, a bench led by Chief Justice Gavai issued guidelines restraining authorities from indiscriminately razing the houses of accused persons with bulldozers.

The court mandated that authorities must give prior notice to the affected persons before initiating any move to demolish their houses because they were constructed illegally.

He said that the Supreme Court had elaborated on the rule of law being the antithesis of lawlessness and the breakdown of public order.