In Brief

The Supreme Court upheld the validity of land acquisitions under the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Act, 1966 for establishing industrial plants by private companies MSPL and AISL. The Court rejected a Division Bench judgment that had quashed the acquisition on grounds of lack of public purpose and procedural violations. The Supreme Court held that acquisition for single private companies advancing industrial development falls within the Act's objects, that the required procedure was followed, that environmental clearance obtained later does not vitiate prior acquisitions, and that quashing entire acquisitions at the instance of less than 10% of landowners contradicts public interest. Appeals were allowed.

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