India, March 24 -- The Supreme Court on Monday issued a contempt notice to the administrator of a municipal council in Maharashtra on an alleged punitive demolition of the shop and residence of a person belonging to the Muslim community without serving prior notice in violation of the court's pan-India guidelines.

A bench of justices Bhushan R Gavai and Augustine George Masih sought a response from Santosh Jirage, the chief officer and administrator of Malvan municipal council in Sindhudurg, on scrap dealer Kitabulla Hamidulla Khan's petition.

The petitioner claimed that the demolition took place a day after a first information report (FIR) was lodged against him, his wife, and his minor son on the allegation that they raised anti-India...