AIR 1986 SUPREME COURT 2025 ::1986 (4) SCC 251 ::1986 (2) CurCC 916 ::(1986) 2 APLJ 25.1 ::(1986) All WC 1027 ::(1986) 3 Supreme 460 ::1986 3 Supreme 460 ::(1986) JT 420 (SC)

Supreme Court Of India

(From : 1985 All LJ 961)

Hon'ble Judge(s): E. S. Venkataramiah, V. Khalid , JJ

(A) Land Acquisition Act (1 of 1894) , S.4, S.6, S.17A, S.5A— Acquisition of land - State Government dispensing enquiry by invoking S.17(1) at the time of publication of notification under S.4 - No mala fides on part of Govt or its officers - Delay of one year between publication of notification under S.4 and publication declaration under S. 6 - Not by itself sufficient to render decision of State Govt. taken under S.17(1) and (4), improper or illegal. 1985 All LJ 961 Reversed. The State Government sought to acquire the land for housing schemes in city of Meerut. The State Government published a notification under S.4(1) notifying for general information that the land mentioned in the Schedule was needed for a public purpose, namely, for the construction of residential buildings for the people of Meerut by the Meerut Development Authority under a planned development scheme. The notification further stated that the provisions of sub-sec. (1) of S.17 were applicable to the said inasmuch as it was arable land which was urgently required for the public purpose. The notification further directed that S.5-A shall not apply to the proposed acquisition. The above notification was followed by a declaration under S.6 which was issued nearly after one year. There was no allegation of any kind of mala fides on the part of either the Government or any of t....