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Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. v. Kamlesh Kumar Chimanbhai Patel & Ors.

Civil Appeal · Neutral citation not assigned (Civil Appeal No. 5396 of 2016)Decided 29 Jun 2016
Civil Appeal No. 5396 of 2016
Justice Kurian Joseph · Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman

Background

Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. had appealed against directions relating to compensation payable to landowners such as Kamlesh Kumar Chimanbhai Patel for damage caused while drawing high-tension transmission lines across their land. The central issue in the appeal was the absence of clear guidelines on how such compensation should be assessed and paid. While the appeals were pending before the Supreme Court, the Government of India itself framed fresh guidelines laying down the mode and manner for assessing this compensation.

Decision Breakdown

Since the Government had already addressed the core issue by issuing new compensation-assessment guidelines during the pendency of the appeals, the Supreme Court held that there was no longer any live controversy requiring its adjudication. It disposed of both appeals on this basis, granting the respondents (the affected landowners) liberty to approach the Government of India directly if they had any further grievance regarding how those new guidelines were applied to them. No costs were awarded.

Lesson Learnt

When the government addresses the underlying policy gap that triggered litigation (here, by issuing fresh compensation guidelines) while an appeal is pending, courts may treat the dispute as resolved and direct aggrieved parties to pursue any remaining grievance through the administrative process rather than continued litigation.

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

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