New Delhi: In a relief to the Adani group, the Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed a Gujarat High Court order, which directed the state government to resume the process of taking back nearly 108 hectares of grazing land given to the company in 2005 near the Mundra port.
The apex court was hearing an appeal of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd against the Gujarat High Court’s 5 July order mandating the return of 108 hectares of grazing land to farmers. The company had contended that the order should be stayed in the interest of justice. A bench of justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan said: "Issue notice. Stay of impugned order".
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Adani group, submitted that the order was passed by the high court without giving the company a chance to be heard.
The case originated over a decade ago, when residents’ of Navinal village filed a public interest litigation against the state’s decision to allot 231 acres of grazing land to Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ).
The state government had told the high court that it will take back nearly 108 hectares of 'gauchar' (grazing) land which was given to an Adani Group entity in 2005.
The high court, considering the affidavit of the additional chief secretary, Department of Revenue, State of Gujarat, "we require the concerned authority/officers to complete the process of resumption in accordance with law". The high court had scheduled the matter for further hearing in the last week of July.
