In Brief
Four consolidated land acquisition appeals concerned whether acquisitions lapsed under the 2013 Act when possession was taken but compensation was not paid. The High Court had dismissed the acquisitions, relying on an earlier Supreme Court ruling that required both conditions. The Supreme Court reversed this, applying the Constitution Bench decision in Indore Development Authority v. Manoharlal, which held that satisfaction of either possession or compensation suffices to prevent lapse. As all four cases involved undisputed taking of possession by the authorities, the Court allowed the appeals and dismissed the respondents' writ petitions.
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