Andhra Pradesh High Court Directs State To Follow Due Process In Land Acquisition For Road Widening In Narsipatnam

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed the State to follow due process of law contemplated under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 in acquiring the properties of residents in Narsipatnam for the purpose of widening the road. "Till the property of the petitioners is acquired by following due process of law as directed supra, no steps to dispossess the petitioners from the property either by way of demolishing the said property or in any other manner shall be taken by the respondents," Justice Cheekati Manavendranath Roy said. The court passed the order in writ petition filed by the petitioners, seeking a declaration that the actions of the respondents in not following the procedure contemplated under the Act and attempting to acquire their property for the public purpose of widening the road, were illegal and arbitrary. The court said even if the property of the petitioners is required for the public purpose of widening the road as per the administrative sanction of a sum of Rs.16.60 crores made by the State Government, still the authorities have to follow the due process of law as contemplated under the Act in acquiring the property for the purpose of widening the road.