In Brief
The Supreme Court held that once land has been acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, an award passed, compensation paid, and possession taken, the land vests absolutely in the State and cannot be re-conveyed or de-acquired. The State Government's de-acquisition notification dated 14 October 2009 was void and illegal because it violated a binding 2005 Supreme Court judgment in the same matter that clearly established this principle. The Court noted the notification was issued in gross violation of the law and amounted to contempt. The High Court erred in setting aside the notification's withdrawal and failed to apply the binding precedent. The Court allowed the appeals and imposed costs on the respondent's legal representatives.
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