Centre asks CJI to set up Constitution Bench to decide issues related to Land Acquisition Act

The central government on Wednesday requested Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to set up a Constitution Bench for expeditious disposal of issues related to Section 24 of the Land Acquisition Act.

"We will look into the issue," the CJI replied.

For the central government, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter and requested the CJI to hear it and set up the Constitution bench.

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, ensures, in "consultation with institutions of local self-government and Gram Sabhas established under the Constitution, a humane, participative, informed and transparent process for land acquisition for industrialisation, development of essential infrastructural facilities and urbanisation with the least disturbance to the owners of the land and other affected families."

It further provides "fair compensation to the affected families whose land has been acquired or proposed to be acquired or are affected by such acquisition and make adequate provisions for such affected persons for their rehabilitation and resettlement and for ensuring that the cumulative outcome of compulsory acquisition should be that affected persons become partners in development leading to an improvement in their post acquisition social and economic status and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.