As the court proceeded to issue a status quo order, preventing the government from changing the ground situation, state counsel Satish Mishra sought to assure it that the government would not demolish the jail without the court permission.

Accordingly, the court recorded the government's assurance, implying suspension of its July 8 order.

The apex court on July 8 had allowed the state government to raze the old jail adjacent to the Ambedkar Park in the heart of the city on the condition that the new park, coming up in its place, will not be adorned with statutes of Chief Minister Mayawati, her late political mentor Kanshi Ram and her party's election symbol elephant.

The state government had told the bench last month that the new jail would be much more spacious than the old one.

The new jail would have the capacity to house up to 4,660 prisoners, while the old one can accommodate at most 2,000-odd inmates, state counsel had told the court.