Srinagar: The High Court has ordered authorities to maintain status quo on a chunk of land required for construction of Semi Ring Road around Srinagar City.
“Interim direction, if any, shall continue till the next date of hearing in all the petitions,”said a division bench of Chief Justice PankajMithal and Justice VinodChatterjiKoul while hearing a bunch of petitions pertaining to land acquisition in district Budgam.
The court continued its “status quo” interim direction after it observed that the pleadings by parties including filing of counter affidavits as directed by it were not complete.
Directing the counsels representing the parties to complete their pleadings, the court listed the petitions for further hearing on December 14.
The petitioners from WathoraBudgam and others are aggrieved of the notification dated 18.3.2017 for land acquisition issued by Collector Land Acquisition (ACR), as also notification whereby concerned Tehsildar has been directed to take possession of the land after fulfilling the conditions provided under law.
“The process has been delayed and acquisition proceedings have lapsed due to delay,” they petitioners said.
The petitioners submitted that during the pendency of the proceedings, the status of the state of J&K changed and ‘reorganization order’ was issued in October 2019.
They pleaded that they are entitled to compensation under the Right to Fair Compensation & Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. They prayed for initiation of fresh acquisition proceedings as per the new law.