AIR 2007 SUPREME COURT 2334 ::2007 AIR SCW 4040 ::(2007) 139 DLT 506 ::2007 (5) SCC 231 ::(2007) 2 RecCivR 757 ::(2007) 5 Scale 236 ::(2007) 3 CTC 574 (SC) ::2007 (3) CTC 574 ::2007 (4) MPLJ 205 ::2007 (5) Mah LJ 545 ::2007 (4) MadLJ660 ::2007 (3) RajLW 2325

Supreme Court Of India

(From : Delhi)

Hon'ble Judge(s): B. P. Singh, Altamas Kabir , JJ

(A) Land Acquisition Act (1 of 1894) , S.4 Chap.VII— Acquisition of land - Public purpose - Acquisition stated to be made for 'planned development of Delhi' - Would include expansion and development of airport - Expansion and modification of airport is 'public purpose' - Procedure laid down in Chap. VII of Act not attracted. In the instant case the public purpose for which the acquisition of land was made was stated to be 'planned development of Delhi'. Admittedly at the relevant time when S. 4 Notification was published, the management of the airport vested with the Department of Civil Aviation. It cannot be denied that the words used in the Notification, namely 'the planned development of Delhi' are wide enough to include the expansion and development of the airport. That is also a 'public purpose'. Since the International Airport Authority of India (IAAI) came into existence much later only on December 8, 1971 and was vested with the power to manage the airports, there was no question of the acquisition being made for the purpose of the IAAI since that body did not exist in the year 1965. The acquisition was for the planned development of Delhi and the expansion and modification of the airport is a 'public purpose'. It so happened that after the constitution of the IAAI, the power of @page-SC2335 management of airports, was v....