A study by a civil society organisation, which undertakes research and activities to promote accountability and better governance in India, shows serious delays in the process of land acquisition in Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Three districts each
The study that analysed land acquisition cases, conducted by Daksh across three districts each in Karnataka and Maharashtra, highlights major shortcomings in both States when it comes to dealing with court cases relating to land acquisition which leads to more time being taken to resolve cases.
This study was conducted by manually collecting data from all district courts in the districts of Bengaluru Rural, Mysuru, and Kalaburagi in Karnataka, as well as Beed, Amravati, and Raigad in Maharashtra, from 2008 to 2018. The key aspects of the data studied from district courts included average disposal time, average pendency time, average number of hearings, number of cases filed, and disposed. Additionally, the researchers looked at cases that reached the high courts. The study found that half of all land acquisition cases related to compensation. The cases involving a challenge to compensation constitute 52.9% and 51% of the aggregate land acquisition litigation before the Bombay and the Karnataka High Courts, respectively.
In these cases, the Bombay HC increased compensation in 46.8%, and the Karnataka HC in 41% cases.
The study also said that several States are yet to establish the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authorities as mandated by the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
