JASWANT SINGH Vs. LAND ACQUISITION COLLECTOR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The facts fall into a short compass, and to my pleasant surprise, even the arguments were brief though, predictably, incisive.

(2.) First the facts. By a Notification dated October 30, 1963 issued under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act (hereinafter called the Act) the Delhi Administration notified that the land measuring approximately. 9,500 acres, the description of which was given in the Notification itself, was required by the Government "for a public purpose, namely, the development of Narela Township". Objections were filed by the present petitioner also under section 5A of the Act since his land too was covered under the said Notification. Consequent upon the disposal of the said objections, a Notification was issued under .section 6 :of the 'Act. This was -in the month of January 1969. The same was followed by Notifications in March 1973 under Section^ 9 and 10 of the Act. This Award was made on September 19, 1986. However, much before the Award, that is, on September 28, 1983 Jaswant Singh Vs. The Land Acquisition Collector and others 367 the present writ petition was filed. I need not go deep into what is mentioned in the writ petition, for, the relief sought has been based now only on two contentions.

(3.) The first contention is that though the acquisition was sought to be, as already noticed above, for apublic purpose, namely, the development of Narela Township, the said purpose, it is claimed, exists no more since it is alleged to have been superseded by another purpose. That purpose being the requirement of the land belonging to the petitioner for providing a new grain market to be set up, managed and run by (he Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee. Narela thereinafter to be referred as Committee).