High Court stays dispossession of Ludhiana villagers

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 1

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed the dispossession of villagers apprehending displacement following a move to acquire land for construction, maintenance, management and operation of the National Highway-5 on the Kharar-Ludhiana section.

The direction by the vacation Bench of Justice Jaishree Thakur came on a petition filed against the Union of India and other respondents by Manjit Singh and other landowners in Katani Kalan village in Ludhiana district through counsel Charanpal Singh Bagri.

Appearing before the Bench through videoconferencing, Bagri contended the competent authority under the National Highway Act only passed an award pertaining to the land. But the authority had not passed any award pertaining to the structure. As such, the authority failed to comply with the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. Bagri added the respondents were threatening to dispossess the petitioners.

Issuing a notice of motion to the state and other respondents, Justice Thakur asserted: “In the meantime, dispossession of the petitioners herein is stayed.” The case will now come up for further hearing on November 10.