Reliance Industries petition against lapsing provision in land act; HC notices Attorney General of India

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court today issued a notice to the Attorney General of India on a petition filed by Reliance Industries (RIL) challenging a provision of the Land Acquisition Act of 2013.

As the matter pertains to a central act, the bench of Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice Anant Dave issued notice to the Attorney General and kept the hearing on March 14.

RIL has challenged Section 24 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, which says the acquisition would lapse if the possession is not taken within five years of notification.

Earlier, 12 farmers from five villages in Jamnagar district had moved the HC seeking declaration of acquisition of their land as void as the government had failed to pay compensation and take possession.

Gujarat government had acquired 11,235 acres of land for RIL's oil refinery.

RIL contends that this legal provision is arbitrary and unconstitutional.