Online BusinessHC quashes Anil Ambani's Dadri land acquisition
The Allahabad High Court today quashed UP government"s notification for use of emergency powers to buy land for Anil Ambani group firm"s Dadri power project, side-stepping a provision for inviting objections from land owners.
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The state government would now have to invite objections from farmers, who have the option of either returning the money to reclaim the land or forfeit any claim.
The agitating farmers and Reliance Natural Resources (RNRL) gave different interpretations of the order, with Anil Ambani group official J P Chalsani contending that land acquisition for Dadri project has not been set aside as claimed by the other side.
Passing the order, a Division Bench comprising Justice Ashok Bhusan and Justice Sudhir Aggrawala said that all "subsequent proceedings consequent to the notification of February 11, 2004, including the notification under Section 6 of June 25, 2004 are quashed".
The 7,480 Mw project, land for which was acquired by the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in 2004, has become a bone of contention between the Ambani brothers Mukesh and Anil, who are involved in a bitter legal battle in the Supreme Court over supply of natural gas.
Anil Ambani group has charged Reliance Industries of reneging on its commitment to supply gas, which it claimed had rendered the project non-bankable.
RIL, on the other hand, had also argued in the apex court that the project was not on the ground and hence, the gas could not be given.