HMT Ltd. Vs Smt. Rukmini and others (Supreme Court of India)
The Supreme Court of India recently addressed a significant issue related to writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution, in connection with a long-standing land acquisition dispute involving HMT Ltd. and private respondents. The case involved the acquisition of land in Bangalore by HMT Ltd., which was initially requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence. The dispute reached the courts after the heirs of the original landowner filed a writ petition seeking compensation and repossession of the unacquired portion of their land.
Karnataka High Court Proceedings
In 2010, the single bench of the Karnataka High Court dismissed the writ petition filed by the private respondents on grounds of delay and laches, citing that the petition was filed 46 years after the land was acquired. However, the private respondents appealed the decision, and in 2019, a Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court overturned the single bench’s ruling. The Division Bench directed HMT Ltd. to either vacate the land or pay compensation based on the prevailing market rate, along with rental compensation dating back to 1973.
Supreme Court Intervention
HMT Ltd. and the Union of India, dissatisfied with the Karnataka High Court’s ruling, approached the Supreme Court. The apex court granted an interim stay on the High Court’s decision and took up the matter for further review.
