Land ordinance bill challenged in Supreme Court

Farmers’ rights bodies on Thursday filed a public interest litigation (PIL) before the Supreme Court against the government’s decision to re-promulgate the land acquisition ordinance, saying it was an abuse of power under the constitution and a “gross case of fraud.”

Farmers’ rights bodies on Thursday filed a public interest litigation (PIL) before the Supreme Court against the government’s decision to re-promulgate the land acquisition ordinance, saying it was an abuse of power under the constitution and a “gross case of fraud.”

Suppoters-of-social-activist-Anna-Hazare-during-a-protest-against-controversial-land-acquisition-ordinance-at-Jantar-Mantar-in-New-Delhi-Arun-Sharma-HT-Photo

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Ordinance was re-promulgated on April 3.

“The Respondent’s (Centre’s) action of successively re-issuing the ordinance, without passing muster in both the Houses of Parliament is nothing but an abuse of the power under Article 123 (Ordinance power of Parliament) and is a gross case of fraud,” read the petition filed through counsel Devadatt Kamat and Gautam Talukdar.

The petitioners are four Delhi-based organizations — Delhi Grameen Samaj, Bharatiya Kishan Union, Gram Sewa Samiti and Chogama Vikas Avam.

The PIL stated as per the law, an ordinance has to be laid before both the Houses within six weeks of its promulgation. In the instant case, the six weeks would have ended on April 5, on which date the land acquisition ordinance would have ceased to operate.