Land Rights and Displacement — Legal Precedents
Legal Precedents
Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation
1985This landmark judgment by a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court significantly expanded the interpretation of Article 21 (Right to Life). The Court held that the 'right to life'…
Narmada Bachao Andolan v. Union of India
2000This case, heard by a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, dealt with the environmental and human rights issues surrounding the Sardar Sarovar Dam project. While the Court…
Kedar Nath Yadav v. State of West Bengal
2016A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court delivered this judgment concerning the Singur land acquisition for Tata Motors. The Court declared the acquisition of 997 acres of…
Samatha v. State of Andhra Pradesh
1997A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court ruled that the transfer of tribal land to non-tribals in Scheduled Areas for mining or industrial operations is null and void. The Court…
Lalita Kumari v. Government of Uttar Pradesh
2014A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court held that registration of an FIR is mandatory under Section 154 of the Cr.P.C. if the information discloses a cognizable…
T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India
1996 onwardsA series of ongoing judgments by the Supreme Court (initially a two-judge bench, later expanded) concerning forest conservation and management. The Court issued wide-ranging…
State of West Bengal v. Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights, West Bengal
2010A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court affirmed the power of the High Courts and the Supreme Court to order a CBI inquiry into a cognizable offence, even without the…
P. Ram Reddy v. State of Andhra Pradesh
2019A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court reiterated that the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act)…
Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation v. Anand
2020A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court clarified that the 'lapse' clause under Section 24(2) of the LARR Act 2013 (where acquisition proceedings initiated under the 1894 Act lapse…
Rajiv Sarin v. State of Uttarakhand
2011A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court held that the right to property, though no longer a fundamental right, is still a constitutional right under Article 300A and a human right.…
Thakur Raghubir Singh v. State of Bihar
1987A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court held that the right to hold property is a constitutional right under Article 300A and cannot be taken away without due process of law. This…
State of Uttar Pradesh v. Raj Narain
1975A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, while not directly a land rights case, famously stated that the 'right to know' is implicit in the freedom of speech and expression…
Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala
1973A 13-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court propounded the 'Basic Structure Doctrine', holding that Parliament cannot amend the basic features of the Constitution. While…
Bishamber Dayal Chandra Mohan v. State of Uttar Pradesh
1982A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court reiterated that Article 300A requires a law to be in force for the deprivation of property. It clarified that an executive order without…
K.T. Plantation Pvt. Ltd. v. State of Karnataka
2011A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court examined the scope of Article 300A and held that while the right to property is not a fundamental right, it is a constitutional right and a…
Ajit Singh v. State of Punjab
1967A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court dealt with land ceiling laws and their constitutional validity. The Court upheld the power of the state to enact land ceiling…