SC issues notices to WB govt, Tata Motors

However, it issued notices to the West Bengal government, Tata Motors and the Central Government on a set of appeals against the high court judgment. It might examine the validity of the acquisition of land  after the governments and the company appear in the court in July.

The appeals moved by the affected farmers and a lawyer were heard by a bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan. They complained that their fertile land had been forcibly acquired by the government for setting up of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) by the Tatas on 1000 acres.

The state government submitted before the court that the entire land has been taken over after paying compensation in 2005 and the financial closure is over. On the other hand, the farmers' counsel argued that the government and the company identified the land after a two-year long survey.

The land now in possession of the company was therefore not in public interest, but for the benefit of the company. Though the government claimed that the acquisition was for public interest under Chapeter 2 of the Land Acquisition Act, it was for private purpose.

There were no talks with the farmers and the compensation was paid by the company and not the government which makes the acquisition illegal and for private benefit.

They said under Chapter 7, the purchaser must negotiate with the owner directly and the land to be acquired should not be fertile and price should also to be settled with the farmer. Earlier, the high court had rejected these contentions.