SC notice to UP, Noida on land acquisition row

The Supreme Court today issued a notice to Uttar Pradesh government and Noida Industrial Development Authority (Noida) on a petition filed by a group of farmers from Sadopur village in Gautambudh Nagar district challenging the acquisition of their lands by the state.

A bench of justices RM Lodha and HL Gokhale sought responses of the authorities on the special leave petition filed by the farmers through counsel MA Chinnasamy saying the acquisition was illegal and yet the Allahabad High Court had failed to quash the acquisition.

According to the farmers, the High Court had found that at Sadopur village no third party rights have been created and the possession was taken only on February 16, 2009, though the original notification was issued on August 31, 2007, and yet, refrained from quashing the notification as the petitions were filed belatedly.

"There is no finding that any developmental activity has taken place in this village; no expenditure has been incurred. So, the notifications ought to have been quashed and the land returned to the owners. But this was not done.