Land Acquisition Judgment: 3 Must Reads

In its recent Land Acquisition judgment (Indore Development Authority v Manoharlal) the Supreme Court settled the interpretation of Section 24(2) of the 2013 Land Acquisition Act. It held that land acquisition proceedings don’t lapse merely because the State failed to deposit compensation in a landowner’s account.

Here is a list of three must-reads that not only explore core issues of the judgment but also offer context to land acquisition disputes in India:

1. Judgment in Plain English –  SC Observer’s plain English summary of the judgment crystallizes the core issues of the judgment. It offers a non-partisan take on the legal adjudication of the issues.

2. A case of judicial law making – In this Indian Express article, advocate Aadil Singh Boparai argues that the Court in Indore Development Authority v Manoharlal engaged in lawmaking and diluted welfare provisions in the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.

3. Land Acquisition in India: A Review of Supreme Court Cases (1950-2016) – This report produced by CPR Land Rights Initiative undertakes an in-depth analysis of land acquisition disputes in India since independence. Included in its analysis is an exploration of new litigation under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.