<p>Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka has upheld the acquisition of 281 acres of land on Magadi Road, Bengaluru, for the establishment of a mega market by the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC).</p>.<p>The Jamnalal Bajaj Seva Trust had challenged the acquisition notifications issued between 1994 and 1996. Following multiple litigations, the Supreme Court remanded the case back to the High Court in 2022.</p>.<p><strong>Trust’s objections</strong></p>.<p>The APMC sought to acquire 172.22 acres in Srigandhakaval village, 104.05 acres, and 3.34 acres in Herohalli village to develop a mega market benefiting farmers.</p>.<p>The trust, however, argued that since the APMC had shifted the project elsewhere, the acquisition should be deemed abandoned. It contended that a mega market had already been established in another location, rendering the acquisition unnecessary.</p>.Karnataka High Court cancels PG medical seats allotted to ineligible candidates in mop-up round.<p>Also, the trust claimed that the urgency clause invoked for acquisition was unjustified and that 80 per cent of the compensation, as required under the clause, had not been paid.</p>.<p>The APMC, in response, maintained that it had never abandoned the project and that the trust, having participated in proceedings to determine the market value, could not challenge the acquisition.</p>.<p>Justice Krishna S Dixit noted that the trust had participated in a September 24, 1999, meeting, chaired by the Principal Secretary of the Revenue Department, where land value was discussed. The court observed that the trust had agreed to accept Rs 15 lakh per acre for 172 acres and 4 guntas in Srigandhakaval village.</p>.<p><strong>Final verdict</strong></p>.<p>Dismissing the petition, the court directed the government to pay the agreed compensation and ordered additional interest considering the prolonged litigation.</p>.<p>"The petitioners shall be paid the compensation for the subject lands at the rates agreed to in the meeting held on September 24, 1999, forthwith by formally accomplishing the acquisition proceedings in accordance with the law. Keeping in view a spate of litigations and the long time spent in prosecuting them and also the skyrocketing of real estate prices, I direct the official respondents to pay to the petitioner interest at the rate of 12% per annum in addition to what is payable under the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act 1894, from the date of the award, within three months," the court ruled.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka has upheld the acquisition of 281 acres of land on Magadi Road, Bengaluru, for the establishment of a mega market by the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC).</p>.<p>The Jamnalal Bajaj Seva Trust had challenged the acquisition notifications issued between 1994 and 1996. Following multiple litigations, the Supreme Court remanded the case back to the High Court in 2022.</p>.<p><strong>Trust’s objections</strong></p>.<p>The APMC sought to acquire 172.22 acres in Srigandhakaval village, 104.05 acres, and 3.34 acres in Herohalli village to develop a mega market benefiting farmers.</p>.<p>The trust, however, argued that since the APMC had shifted the project elsewhere, the acquisition should be deemed abandoned. It contended that a mega market had already been established in another location, rendering the acquisition unnecessary.</p>.Karnataka High Court cancels PG medical seats allotted to ineligible candidates in mop-up round.<p>Also, the trust claimed that the urgency clause invoked for acquisition was unjustified and that 80 per cent of the compensation, as required under the clause, had not been paid.</p>.<p>The APMC, in response, maintained that it had never abandoned the project and that the trust, having participated in proceedings to determine the market value, could not challenge the acquisition.</p>.<p>Justice Krishna S Dixit noted that the trust had participated in a September 24, 1999, meeting, chaired by the Principal Secretary of the Revenue Department, where land value was discussed. The court observed that the trust had agreed to accept Rs 15 lakh per acre for 172 acres and 4 guntas in Srigandhakaval village.</p>.<p><strong>Final verdict</strong></p>.<p>Dismissing the petition, the court directed the government to pay the agreed compensation and ordered additional interest considering the prolonged litigation.</p>.<p>"The petitioners shall be paid the compensation for the subject lands at the rates agreed to in the meeting held on September 24, 1999, forthwith by formally accomplishing the acquisition proceedings in accordance with the law. Keeping in view a spate of litigations and the long time spent in prosecuting them and also the skyrocketing of real estate prices, I direct the official respondents to pay to the petitioner interest at the rate of 12% per annum in addition to what is payable under the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act 1894, from the date of the award, within three months," the court ruled.</p>