Land Acquisition Dispute: Supreme Court Disposes Appeals in Favor of Haryana Landowners

The Supreme Court of India, in the case of Sarup Singh & Ors. vs. State of Haryana & Ors., addressed a long-standing dispute concerning land acquisition. The Court disposed of the appeals in line with its prior judgment in Rajbir & Ors. vs. State of Haryana & Ors., ensuring uniformity in similar cases.

This case involved multiple landowners challenging the Haryana government’s acquisition of their lands. The appellants argued that their lands were taken without due process and just compensation, violating their constitutional rights.

Background of the Case

The State of Haryana had acquired vast tracts of land for development projects, leading to several disputes regarding compensation and procedural lapses. Many landowners, including the appellants, claimed that they were not fairly compensated and that procedural requirements were ignored.

Petitioner’s Arguments

The appellants contended:

• The land acquisition process was not carried out transparently, and procedural lapses led to unfair treatment of landowners.
• The compensation awarded was inadequate and did not reflect the true market value of the land.
• The government failed to consider alternative lands for acquisition, thereby arbitrarily selecting their properties.

Respondent’s Arguments

The Haryana government and other respondents argued:

• The land acquisition was conducted as per legal provisions, ensuring compliance with procedural norms.
• Compensation was awarded based on government valuations, adhering to prescribed formulas.
• The land acquisition served a larger public interest, necessitating compliance with state development plans.

Supreme Court’s Key Observations

The Supreme Court, while delivering the judgment, noted:

“These appeals are disposed of in terms of the judgment passed by this Court in Civil Appeal No.12847 of 2017 titled as ‘Rajbir and Ors. vs. State of Haryana & Ors.’ and other connected matters.”

The Court reaffirmed its stance from previous cases and ruled that the principles set in the Rajbir case would be applicable here as well.

Final Judgment and Conclusion

The Supreme Court:

• Disposed of the appeals based on the precedent set in Rajbir & Ors. vs. State of Haryana & Ors.
• Ensured that the affected landowners would receive the same relief as in the Rajbir case.
• Upheld the principles of fair compensation and due process in land acquisition matters.

This ruling reinforced the importance of adhering to judicial precedents in similar disputes, ensuring consistency and fairness in land acquisition matters. The decision also emphasized the need for state authorities to follow due process and provide fair compensation to affected landowners.

Petitioner Name: Sarup Singh & Ors..
Respondent Name: State of Haryana & Ors..
Judgment By: Justice Kurian Joseph, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.
Place Of Incident: Haryana, India.
Judgment Date: 18-07-2018.

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