NUMALIGARH REFINERY LIMITED Vs. STATE OF ASSAM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Mr. K. N. Choudhury, learned Senior Counsel assisted by Mr. A. K. Sahewalla, learned counsel for the petitioner. Also heard Mr. J. Handique, learned Standing Counsel, Revenue Department, for the respondent No. 1; Mr. N. Goswami, learned State Counsel for the respondent No. 2 and Mr. D. Senapati, learned counsel for the respondent No. 3.

(2.) The challenge made in this writ petition is to the order dtd. 16/9/2022 passed in LA Misc. Case No. 01/2022 by the District and Sessions Judge-cumLand Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authority, Jorhat, whereby the Collector-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Golaghat was directed to make a reference on the basis of the application dtd. 18/4/2022 filed by respondent No. 3. The petitioner has also assailed the order dtd. 18/11/2024 passed in Misc. Case No. 06/2024 in LA Reference Case No. 02 of 2023 by the learned District and Sessions Judge-cum-Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authority, Jorhat, whereby Misc. Case No. 06/2024, filed by the petitioner objecting to the reference was rejected and the entire proceedings of LA Reference Case No. 02/2023 pending before the District and Sessions Judgecum-Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authority, Jorhat.

(3.) The petitioner, M/s Numaligarh Refinery Limited ( hereinafter referred to as the petitioner company in short), is a Government-owned company having its registered office at 122A, G.S. Road, Christian Basti, Guwahati, Assam. The petitioner company had published an offer for Expression of Interest dtd. 20/11/2020 inviting sealed offers from interested parties holding possession of such land for short listing prospective owners of land for lease rental or outright purchase, which would be suitable for the petitioner company's various preproject activities related to expansion and other enabling activities of the project.