In Brief
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) appealed a High Court order that had declared land acquisition proceedings lapsed under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. The High Court relied on an earlier precedent that deemed acquisition lapsed because compensation was not paid to the landowner, even though the DDA had taken possession of the land in 2012. The Supreme Court held that the earlier precedent was overruled by a Constitution Bench judgment, which clarified that acquisition is deemed lapsed only when neither possession nor compensation occurred for five years. Since possession was taken here, the failure to pay compensation alone does not cause lapse. The Court allowed the appeal and quashed the High Court's judgment.
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