PRAYAGRAJ, May 14 -- The Allahabad high court has ordered a status quo on several houses facing demolition under the proposed Dalmandi road widening project in Varanasi, following allegations that the administration is planning to raze the structures without proper acquisition.

The petitioners, including Shahnawaz Khan and several others, have alleged that there is an imminent threat of their constructions being demolished without the same having been acquired by the authorities.

While fixing May 20 as the next date of hearing along with other petitions, a division bench comprising Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Anish Kumar Gupta granted one week's time to the state government's counsel to obtain instructions in this matter from ...