SC asks Tatas to consider giving back Singur land

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Wednesday asked Tata Motors to clarify its stand on its rights over the land after the company moved out its proposed car plant from West Bengal, so that it can be given back to the farmers.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Tata Motors to make its stand clear on the company’s leasehold rights over the Singur land since it had already moved its car plant out of West Bengal.

“The land was acquired for establishing a car manufacturing plant at Singur. Now the purpose is no more there as you have already moved out,” a bench told the Tata Motors counsel.

The court further said the land should be given back to the agriculturists. “We may ask the West Bengal government to file an affidavit on the issue of giving the money back to you (Tata), which you had paid at the time of land acquisition. In the interests of justice, we think it will serve the purpose.”

It noted that a judicial order could even be passed to declare that the lease between the state

SC DIRECTED THE COMPANY TO FILE AN AFFIDAVIT TO MAKE ITS STAND CLEAR ON ITS RIGHTS OVER THE LAND IN CHANGED SCENARIO

and company got frustrated and directed the company to file an affidavit to make its stand clear on its rights over the land in the wake of changed scenario.

The court’s observations came during the hearing of West Bengal government’s appeal challenging the quashing of the Singur Land Acquisition Act by the Calcutta High Court. The state government had moved the apex court against the high court order, which had struck down the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act 2011 that allowed it to reclaim the 400 acres of land given to Tata Motors.