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Govt. of NCT of Delhi (through Principal Secretary, Land and Building Department) & Anr. v. Rajbir Singh & Ors.

Civil Appeal · Neutral citation not assigned (Civil Appeal No. 8724 of 2016)Decided 31 Aug 2016
Civil Appeal No. 8724 of 2016
Justice Kurian Joseph · Justice C. Nagappan

Background

The Delhi government's Land and Building Department appealed a finding that its land acquisition had lapsed, raising the same legal point already decided against similar authorities in Civil Appeal No. 8477 of 2016.

Decision Breakdown

The Court dismissed the appeal, following the earlier ruling, but gave the appellant one year to initiate fresh acquisition proceedings under Section 24(2) read with Section 11 of the 2013 Act. If no fresh notification issued within that year and the appellant held possession, it was directed to return physical possession of the land to the original owner.

Lesson Learnt

The protection against indefinitely stalled land acquisitions applies equally to state government departments, not just statutory bodies like the DDA.

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

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