In an apparent setback to the Tata Motors, the Calcutta high court on Monday rejected its plea for an interim order restraining the state government from starting the process of returning land to the unwilling farmers of Singur. Meanwhile, in a pre-emptive move, the state government filed a caveat in the Supreme Court so that any petition by the Tata Motors was not heard ex-parte.
On the fourth day when the hearing on the Singur land case began in Justice Soumitra Pal’s court, the Tata Motors’ counsel Samariditya Pal filed a fresh petition, seeking an ex-parte interim relief. He informed the court that the state government was trying to fast-track the return of land to the unwilling farmers of Singur going so far as even working on the weekend. Expressing his client’s apprehension that the state government might start distribution of land from Tuesday, Mr Pal prayed for interim relief.
Justice Pal turned down the plea after the state government opposed it. State advocate general Anindya Mitra challenged the Tata Motors’ plea.
In reply to a question of Justice Pal, Mr Mitra said that the state government would not start returning land from Tuesday.
Mr Mitra elaborated that under the law 30 days had been provided for inviting and submitting application forms for returning the land and due rules and regulations were being followed. Justice Pal also pointed out that since no specific statement was made in the original petition that land distribution would start on Tuesday, no interim order was being passed.
After his prayer was rejected by a single-judge bench, the Tata Motors’ counsel went to the division bench of Calcutta high court for an oral submission for an ex-parte appeal. “After his plea was rejected by Justice Pal, the Tata Motors’ counsel approached the division bench in our absence and tried to make an oral appeal. Their prayer was not entertained and they were asked to file a copy of application but they did not do so,” government lawyer and Trinamul Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee later said.
Mr Banerjee also informed that anticipating that the Tata Motors would now move the Supreme Court, the state government filed a caveat in the apex court.
Meanwhile, in Singur, the distribution of forms continued.