In Brief
The Government of Delhi appealed against a High Court judgment that declared land acquisition proceedings lapsed under Section 24(2) of the 2013 Rehabilitation Act. The landowners had challenged the acquisition but lost at all judicial levels. The Supreme Court held that Section 24(2) requires both failure to take possession AND pay compensation for five years; taking possession without payment does not cause lapse. Since pending court proceedings by landowners suspended the taking of possession, they could not later claim lapse on that ground. The Court overruled the High Court's reliance on an earlier decision and allowed the appeal, upholding the acquisition.
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