Supreme Court Clarifies Land Restoration in Historic Singur Case

In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has clarified that land originally acquired for the Tata Motors 'Nano' car project in Singur will not revert to former industrial entities. The decision, welcomed by the West Bengal government, underscores prioritizing vulnerable communities historically sidelined in land acquisition cases.

Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi reviewed the 2016 Kedar Nath Yadav case to restate that judicial intervention is crucial when societal barriers block marginalized groups from seeking justice. Land restoration will focus on original farmers affected disproportionately by the acquisition, rather than financially robust commercial enterprises like Santi Ceramics.

The verdict voids a Calcutta High Court order to restore land to Santi Ceramics, a former facility in Singur. It emphasizes the Supreme Court's commitment to safeguarding disadvantaged farmers, reiterating that the original intent of the Public Interest Litigation was to aid those facing existential threats from land acquisition.

(With inputs from agencies.)