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Delhi Development Authority v. Arvind Kumar Sharma & Ors.

Civil Appeal · Neutral citation not assigned (Civil Appeal No. 8685 of 2016)Decided 31 Aug 2016
Civil Appeal No. 8685 of 2016
Justice Kurian Joseph · Justice C. Nagappan

Background

Another DDA appeal in the same batch of lapse-of-acquisition disputes, raising the identical legal point already decided against DDA in Civil Appeal No. 8477 of 2016.

Decision Breakdown

The Court dismissed the appeal, applying the earlier ruling, and gave DDA a one-year window to initiate fresh acquisition proceedings under Section 24(2) read with Section 11 of the 2013 Act, failing which it was directed to return physical possession of the land (if held) to the original owner.

Lesson Learnt

Where a government body's acquisition of land has lapsed under the 2013 Act, the landowner's right to reclaim possession is enforced consistently, with the authority given one defined chance to restart the process correctly.

Official source (sci.gov.in)View Judgment (PDF)

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