In Brief
Rupa and Co. Limited sought to enforce a High Court order directing the State of West Bengal and its agency HIDCO to convey a plot of land on freehold basis at an agreed 2011 rate. After the Supreme Court rejected the State's challenge to this order in 2021, the State attempted to impose the current market price instead. The High Court then referred the ongoing contempt proceedings to mediation, which the appellants opposed. The Supreme Court set aside the mediation order, holding that final High Court judgments must be complied with "in letter and spirit" and cannot be undermined through dilatory tactics. It directed the Chief Secretary to ensure immediate compliance and warned of personal contempt action if the order is not executed.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.