In Brief
The Supreme Court dismissed appeals challenging the High Court's handling of land acquisition proceedings for expansion of a marketing yard in Bangalore. Although the Division Bench found that the statutory declaration under Section 6(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 was made beyond the prescribed one-year period, and statutory defects existed in the acquisition process, the Court upheld the High Court's decision not to quash the acquisition. Instead, the Court declined to interfere, noting the larger public interest served by the acquisition and relying on principles established in Barangore Jute Factory, which favour moulding relief to ensure appropriate compensation to landowners rather than mechanically quashing defective acquisitions."
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