In Brief
MTNL (East-I), a government telecommunications corporation, challenged notices from the Municipal Corporation seeking possession of land at its Chembur telephone exchange for road widening. The land had been partially surrendered in 1995. MTNL argued that without Central Government sanction and due process, the acquisition was unlawful. The Supreme Court upheld the municipal action, holding that MTNL—merely incorporated under the Companies Act—was not entitled to the statutory protection that applies only to bodies 'established by' law. The regular street line was properly fixed in 1988. The Court dismissed the appeal but directed that compensation for the 1995 surrender be processed if MTNL applied under Section 301."
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