June 23, 2012

Blow to Mamata as Tata wins Singur case


In a huge setback for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Calcutta High Court on Friday held the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011 as unconstitutional and void.

With the verdict, Industrialist Ratan Tata won the Singur case. The court favoured Tata Motors' appeal against a trial court order upholding the Act. 

The court gave the state government two months to appeal before the apex court. 

A division bench of high court on Friday held the Singur Act void saying it is unconstitutional and void. "The act is primarily made out for land acquisition which is in direct conflict with the existing Land Acquisition Act of 1894. So if a state legislature wants to enact a land acquisition act of its own. It should take permission from the Centre and Presidential accent is necessary which the State did not take. Returning land to only a portion of farmers cannot be called public purpose", the court said.

The Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act was passed in 2011 when Mamata became the Chief Minister.


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