New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) In a relief to residents of the capital's 400 rural and 'urbanised' villages facing the civic body's demolition squad, the Lok Sabha Friday passed a legislation that provides protection to a majority of illegal constructions in these settlements.

The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provision) Bill, moved by Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath, was passed by voice vote without any debate, amid pandemonium in the house due to opposition protests over the WikiLeaks expose on alleged bribing of MPs by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) to win the trust vote in 2008.

The bill provides for a moratorium on sealing and demolition of unauthorised constructions in the city till the end of this year with retrospective effect from Jan 1.

The proposed law aims to prevent sealing and demolition of a large number of illegal constructions and to maintain status quo with respect to unauthorised colonies, including village settlements and their extensions, storages and warehouses for farm produce and some other categories in the city.

The bill, which will now be sent to the Rajya Sabha for its nod, also aims to extend the relief to urban villages.

The Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) has begun its sealing and demolition drive against illegal constructions since January this year in tune with a Supreme Court order on unauthorised commercial properties.

The drive began on expiry of the earlier ordinance promulgated for maintaining status quo in the city. The ordinance now stands replaced with a legislation.