The West Bengal government on Thursday told the Calcutta High Court, hearing Tata's challenge of the Singur Land Act, that the establishment need not give notice for taking possession of the disputed land.
Justice I P Mukerji asked the government counsel if a notice to Tata Motors Limited (TML) was not necessary after the notification of Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011, within 24 hours of which possession of around 600 acres of land leased to TML was taken by the State.
Counsel for the State Saktinath Mukherjee submitted that no such notice was necessary under the Civil Procedure Code.
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Mr. Mukherjee claimed that the state had such powers and has vested the land as per the Singur Act and that it could take possession of the land any time after the notification.
He submitted that TML had stated in their letter to the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation that it could consider moving out, provided they were compensated.
He claimed that lease is a right to enjoy a property and not to just hold on to it.
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Mr. Mukherjee submitted that TML had taken on lease 600 acres of land of the 997 acres acquired for the Nano car project, but shifted to Sanand in Gujarat in October 2008.
The matter was adjourned for the day and would be heard again tomorrow.