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The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
HC pauses Punjab's land pooling policy; govt. to file reply within 4 weeks
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday granted an interim stay on the operation of the Punjab government's Land Pooling Policy, 2025 and directed the State to file a reply within four weeks. The court's order came on a writ petition challenging the policy, which was introduced in June to promote planned and sustainable development by involving landowners, promoters, and companies as stakeholders in the development process. A Division Bench of Justice Anupinder Grewal and Justice Deepak Manchanda expressed concern over the lack of provisions in the policy for the rehabilitation of landless labourers and others who do not own land but are dependent on it for their sustenance. The court questioned the government over not conducting a Social Impact Assessment. The petitioner, Gurdeep Singh Gill, had challenged the policy, arguing that it was notified without carrying out the necessary environment and social impact assessments, which are essential for the acquisition of land under Sections 4 to 8 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013. Mr. Gill's counsel, Gurjeet Singh, told reporters that the court had granted an interim stay on the policy and directed the government to file a reply within four weeks. The petitioner had sought directions for quashing the State government's notification and the policy as 'ultra vires, arbitrary, and violative of the Constitution'. 'Looting scheme' The Punjab government had introduced the policy to increase interest in land pooling among landowners, with the promise of providing 1,000 square yards of residential plot and 200 square yards of commercial plot in fully developed land in lieu of one acre of land. However, the Opposition parties and farmer bodies in the State have been opposing the policy, dubbing it a 'looting' scheme to 'rob' farmers of their fertile land. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday called the policy a 'land-grabbing' scheme. He said the party would start a protest against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government from September 1 in Mohali, which would continue until the policy is withdrawn. He alleged that AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal had done an 'underhand deal' with Delhi builders to 'hand over' farmers' land to them. The SAD chief claimed that the State government and Mr. Kejriwal were attacking farmers and the poor, and that they wanted to raise money for the party by looting Punjab. Meanwhile, AAP hit out at the Opposition parties, alleging that they are spreading misleading propaganda against the State government's policy. Party leaders described the policy as 'farmer-friendly'.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
HC orders 4-week interim stay on Punjab land pooling policy; seeks clarity on rehab provisions
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has put a four-week interim stay on the implementation of the controversial land pooling policy of the Punjab Government. The court made clear its intent to stay the policy after the government refused to withdraw it. The division bench of Justice Anupinder Grewal and Justice Deepak Manchanda also gave the state four weeks' time after hearing detailed arguments for about two hours. 'We will stay the policy and give you time to address the concerns,' the court said. The state has also been directed to inform the court whether a social impact assessment was carried out before notifying the policy. The court reiterated its concerns regarding the lack of provision for the rehabilitation of landless labourers and others dependent on land for their sustenance. It also questioned the government for not conducting the compulsory social impact assessment before identifying the land to be acquired. Earlier, the petitioner Gurdeep Singh Gill had contended that the policy was an act of colourable legislation, allegedly framed under a Central law that contained no enabling provision for such a scheme. His counsel Gurjeet Singh Gill, Manan Kheterpal, Manat Kaur, Rahul Jadge, and Rajat Verma also sought directions for quashing the notification and the policy as ultra vires, arbitrary, and violative of Articles 14, 19(1)(g), and 21 read with Article 300-A of the Constitution. After the hearing, Gurjeet Singh, lawyer of Gill, said that neither a social impact assessment nor any environment-related assessment was carried out under the land pooling policy. 'That no such social impact assessment report was either prepared or published, as per the provisions of law. Moreover, none of the gram panchayats or gram sabhas were approached or consulted by the respondents before bringing the Land Pooling Policy 2025, which is a clear disregard of the provisions mandated under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013,' said the petition.
