Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed the Punjab land pooling policy and directed the state to file a reply within four weeks.
After the hearing on a writ petition challenging the policy, the division bench expressed concern over the lack of provisions in the policy for the rehabilitation of landless labourers and others who do not own land but are dependent on it for their sustenance.
The court questioned the government over not conducting a Social Impact Assessment. The case will now come up for further hearing on September 10.
The court’s order came on a writ petition challenging the policy, which was introduced in June to promote planned and sustainable development by involving landowners, promoters, and companies as stakeholders in the development process.
A Division Bench of Justice Anupinder Grewal and Justice Deepak Manchanda expressed concern over the lack of provisions in the policy for the rehabilitation of landless labourers and others who do not own land but are dependent on it for their sustenance. The court questioned the government over not conducting a Social Impact Assessment.
The petitioner, Gurdeep Singh Gill, had challenged the policy, arguing that it was notified without carrying out the necessary environment and social impact assessments, which are essential for the acquisition of land under Sections 4 to 8 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013.
Mr. Gill’s counsel, Gurjeet Singh, told reporters that the court had granted an interim stay on the policy and directed the government to file a reply within four weeks. The petitioner had sought directions for quashing the State government’s notification and the policy as “ultra vires, arbitrary, and violative of the Constitution”.