Timeline of the Singur controversy

May 18, 2006: The then Tata group Chairman Ratan Tata announces small car-Nano project at Singur on the day Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is sworn in as state Chief Minister for another term.

May 25, 2006: Farmers demonstrate protesting over "forcible" acquisition of land for the Tata car project.

July 18, 2006: Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee sows paddy near Tata factory site to protest "forcible" acquisition of land.

December 3, 2006: Singur on boil, Mamata Banerjee begins indefinite hunger strike on Singur issue

December 29, 2006 : Mamata Banerjee calls off her indefinite hunger strike following appeals by then President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

March 9, 2007: Tatas and state government ink Singur land deal lease.

May 24, 2007: Peace talks between state government, Trinamool fail.

June 14, 2007: State government rules out returning land to farmers. Protests intensify

February 15, 2008: Tatas announce Nano roll out by October.

August 18, 2008: Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee invites Mamata Banerjee for talks.

August 20, 2008: Talks between state government, Trinamool Congress fail.

August 22, 2008: Ratan Tata says Nano will move out of West Bengal if violence at Singur persists.

September 3, 2008: Tatas suspend work at Singur, say alternative sites being explored.

September 3, 2008: Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi agrees to play a mediator's role; state government and Trinamool Congress agree to meet him

September 5, 2008: A meeting is held in Raj Bhavan

September 7, 2008: A media release from Raj Bhavan says "the government has taken the decision to respond to the demands of those farmers who have not received compensation."

September 14, 2008: West Bengal government announces improved compensation package for Singur landlosers.

October 3, 2008: Tatas announce exit of Nano project from Bengal, shift to Sanand in Gujarat

May 20, 2011: Mamata Banerjee sworn in Chief Minister of West Bengal. New cabinet at its first meeting decides to return 400 acres of land to farmers.

June 9, 2011: The government brings ordinance and takes over 997 acres citing non-performance by Tata Motors.

June 14, 2011: West Bengal Assembly passes Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act to reclaim 400 acres.

June 22, 2011: Tata Motors moves Calcutta High Court seeking ex-parte relief on Singur land

June 29, 2011: Supreme Court orders the state government to stop distributing land until further notice from the Court

September 28, 2011: Calcutta High Court upholds the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011

October 29, 2011: Tata Motors challenges Calcutta High Court order before division bench.

June 22, 2012: A Calcutta High Court division bench holds Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011 as unconstitutional and void.

August 6, 2012: The West Bengal government challenges the Calcutta High Court order in the Supreme Court

August 31, 2016: Supreme Court sets aside land acquisition for the Tata's Nano project in West Bengal's Singur, and orders state government to return land to all within 12 weeks

--IANS

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