Click to play videoNew Delhi: In a setback for the Tatas, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday upheld as constitutional and valid the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011 by which the West Bengal government vested the land leased to Tata Motors Ltd (TML).
Justice I P Mukerji, while upholding the validity of the Act, directed that compensation be paid to TML if it makes an application for it while noting that the district judge of Hooghly should determine the amount of compensation to be paid.
It held that if TML, which had shifted its Nano car plant from Singur to Sanand in Gujarat alleging political unrest, makes the application for compensation, the district judge would have to dispose it within six months.
Justice Mukerji stayed the application of the order till November two to give the parties a fair chance to appeal before a higher court, if aggrieved with the order.
The court also appointed the district magistrate and SP of Hooghly district, within which Singur falls, as special officers to ensure smooth transfer of land from TML to the state in two months.
The court also upheld the vesting of the land given to vendors, who had also challenged the Act in a separate application.
Justice Mukerji disposed both the applications, by TML and the vendors, challenging the Singur Act which was notified on June 21.
The government took possession of the Singur land totalling 997 acres on the evening of June 21 itself.
TML had challenged the Act before the High Court on June 22, claiming that it was unconstitutional and as such vesting of the 600 acres of land leased to it was invalid.
Around 300 acres had been earmarked for the vendors.
The West Bengal government had acquired 997 acres of land at Singur besides Durgapur Expressway, about 50 km from here, in 2006 for the Tata Nano factory.
(With additional information from PTI)
Here's a copy of the Singur judgement:
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