West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday won a major legal battle against Tata Motors when the Calcutta high court ruled that her government was well within its rights to re-acquire nearly 1,000 acres of land in Singur that the previous state government had allotted to the automobile major for its now defunct Nano plant.
Rejecting Tata Motors’ prayer, the court declared the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act of 2011 as constitutional and valid.
It was by enacting this law that Ms Banerjee had acquired the land so that she could return 400 acres to the “unwilling” farmers.
The court, however, said Tata Motors could apply for compensation to the Hooghly district judge who will determine its quantum under Sections 23 and 24 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. Justice I.P. Mukherjee, who passed the judgment, however, also announced a stay on its implementation till November 2, giving the parties a chance to file appeals in a higher court.
Justice Mukherjee appointed the district magistrate and SP of Hooghly, within which Singur falls, as special officers to ensure smooth transfer of land from Tata Motors to the state government within two months.
“The Singur movement was the turning point in the land movement. It triggered a wave of similar movements across the country. This ruling will give a new dimension to the land movement,” chief minister Mamata Banerjee said and reiterated her stand that she would redistribute 400 acres to unwilling farmers and set up a major industry on the remaining 600 acres.