The Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench has raised significant questions regarding the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to acquire farmers’ land for a private firm’s residential project, emphasizing the need for clarity on the public benefit of such actions.
In a recent hearing, the bench, comprising Justice Rajan Roy and Justice OP Shukla, scrutinized the state government’s justification for allowing M/s Amrawati Private Limited to develop a residential township on acquired land. The court queried whether the development would serve the broader public interest and how the state and the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) would manage the allocation of the constructed houses, flats, or plots.
The legal challenge was brought forth by Shri Dhar Awasthi and another petitioner, represented by counsel Lalit Tiwari, who argued that acquiring land for a private entity under the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 was not permissible without a clear public purpose.
The bench has scheduled a follow-up hearing for March 4 to further address these concerns. Additionally, the court has requested detailed responses from the state government and the LDA regarding the policy decisions underpinning the land acquisition and the mechanisms in place to ensure transparency and fairness in the allocation process.
