In Brief
Refugees allotted land under the Jammu and Kashmir State Evacuees Act sought to prevent the Jammu Development Authority from dispossessing them when the land was acquired for a public housing project (Trikuta Nagar). The appellants claimed they had lawfully retained possession despite acquisition proceedings. The Supreme Court held that symbolic delivery of possession through formal documentation suffices to vest land in the State under the Land Acquisition Act. The appellants' post-acquisition possession, though tacitly approved, was permissive and unlawful. The only remedy for displaced owners is to claim the compensation already determined and deposited by the State. The appeal was dismissed; no writ relief could be granted.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.