India, June 14 -- Taking a stern note of illegal constructions within the limits of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), the Bombay high court on Thursday ordered a judicial inquiry into the erection of 17 allegedly unauthorised structures, including multi-storied buildings, in Shil Daighar near Mumbra.

A division bench of justices GS Kulkarni and Arif Doctor asked Thane's principal district judge to appoint a senior judicial officer to conduct an inquiry into the people behind the illegal constructions and the municipal officers responsible for preventing them. The bench has sought the inquiry report in six weeks.

Once the court receives the inquiry report, appropriate orders will be passed to preserve the rule of law in the TMC, and...