Don’t compel farmers to transfer land in govt favour: HC

According to the petitioners, they were being compelled and coerced by the state respondents to execute sale deed in respect of the aforesaid land in their favour. The petitioners were not ready to sell their land but still they were being compelled by the respondents.

PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad high court has directed the authorities of Gautam Buddh Nagar (NOIDA) to not compel the farmers of tehsil Jewar to execute sale deeds of their land in the state’s favor unless they agree for the same of their free will. However, the court made it clear that it shall be open to the state authorities to acquire the said land by following the procedure prescribed by the law.

Counsel for Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority of India (YEIDA) stated that the Authority had only made a proposal to the land owners to sell their land in favour of the Authority for public purpose, but they would not compel the landowners to execute sale deed in favour of the Authority. (Pic for representation)

Passing this decision, a division bench comprising acting chief justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and justice Manish Kumar Nigam disposed of a writ petition filed by one Mahendar Singh and 98 other farmers,

The present writ petition was filed for a writ of mandamus restraining the respondents – state government authorities from compelling the petitioners to execute sale deed with regard to their bhumidhari land situated in Tirthali, Tirthali Kheda, Rabupura, Karauli Banger, Akalpur, Kuraib, Chakbeerampur and Beerampur villages of pargana and tehsil Jewar of Gautam Buddh Nagar district.

According to the petitioners, they were being compelled and coerced by the state respondents to execute sale deed in respect of the aforesaid land in their favour. The petitioners were not ready to sell their land but still they were being compelled by the respondents.

However, the counsel for Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority of India (YEIDA) stated that the Authority had only made a proposal to the land owners to sell their land in favour of the Authority for public purpose, but they would not compel the landowners to execute sale deed in favour of the Authority, nor would they take possession of the land until the parties arrive at a mutual settlement in respect of compensation, followed by execution of title documents.