Supreme Court Warns Maharashtra, Says Will Stop Schemes Like ‘Ladli Behna’
The Supreme Court on Tuesday sharply criticized the state government of Maharashtra for failing to offer a reasonable compensation amount in a land acquisition case. The apex court said that it would stop the ‘Ladki Behna’ scheme if reasonable compensation was not paid to the party.
The bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Vishwanathan has told the special counsel for the Maharashtra government to seek instructions from the state chief secretary and make a statement on Wednesday.
Read also: Misinformation About Kolkata Doctor Rape Case On Social Media
“We will direct all your Ladli Behna, Ladli Bahu schemes to be stopped,” said Justice Gavai.
“If we do not find the amount reasonable, we will order the demolition of the structure, whether in the national or public interest. We will also direct compensation for illegally using the land from 1963 until today. If you want to acquire the land now, do it under the new Land Acquisition Act,” the court said.
The court made this statement while hearing a case related to the construction of buildings on forest land in the state, where a private party has succeeded in the apex court to get possession that was “illegally occupied” by the state government.
The state government had claimed that the piece of land was occupied by the Armament Research Development Establishment Institute (ARDEI), a unit of the Centre’s defense department.
The government thus allotted another piece of land to the private party in lieu of the land that was in the ARDEI possession. However, the land allotted was notified as forest land.
In its July 23 order, the bench noted that the private party, who has succeeded up to this court, cannot be denied the benefits of the decree passed in his favour.
Read also: SEBI Head Madhabi Puri Buch Should Resign: The Hindu Editorial
On Tuesday, the Maharashtra government informed SC that based on “sympathetic consideration” of the affected party’s case, it was willing to pay Rs 37.42 crore compensation. The landowner, however, insisted that the compensation was not reasonable while considering the location and the prevailing ready reckoner rate.
Noting the matter has been pending for the past 15 years, the bench pointed out that the state government has yet to come up with a concrete proposal.
