SC halts increased compensation for India-China border land acquisition

A division bench of the Supreme Court has passed an important order in a land acquisition case. The apex court has said that the land acquisition compensation near the India-China border will not increase. With this decision, the Supreme Court also stayed the decision of the Gauhati High Court on the land acquired in Arunachal. The whole matter is about the acquisition of 537 acres of land for a defense-related project near the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh. A two-judge bench in the apex court on Friday stayed the order to increase the compensation.

According to a PTI report, the Center told the bench that compensation has already been given to the beneficiaries and the land has also been acquired, but later a person filed a reference case on the basis of power of attorney. It said that earlier compensation of about Rs 70 crore was given for all the beneficiaries, but in October 2024 it was increased to over Rs 410 crore by the Additional District and Sessions Judge in the reference case.

The Centre argued in the apex court that the reference was based on a “fraud” and the person had created “fake power of attorney” of more than 100 persons. It said the government had approached the high court seeking a stay on the operation of the order passed in the reference case.

Direction to deposit 50 per cent amount within three months
The government had approached the high court seeking a stay on the operation of the order passed in the related case. The Centre said the high court had directed that the order passed in the reference case would remain in abeyance subject to the condition that 50 per cent of the enhanced amount be deposited within three months. The government challenged the high court order in the apex court, which agreed to hear the matter.

The apex court observed that the Centre's counsel argued in the high court that the government was ready to deposit 10 per cent as security deposit but there should be no order to withdraw the disbursement till the disposal of the appeal.

Notice issued to respondents, next hearing on August 18
A two-judge bench of the apex court said in an order passed on Friday after the hearing, "Notice be issued to the respondents. The implementation of the controversial order will be stayed on the condition that the petitioner (Centre) should deposit 10 percent of the increased amount in the registry of the High Court within four weeks in compliance with its offer made before the High Court. The apex court also stayed the October 2024 order of the lower court in this matter and fixed August 18 as the date for the next hearing of the case.