LAND ACQUISITION ROW - HC orders status quo in Sai Kunj

Taking up a bunch of petitions filed against the proposed land acquisition in Sai Kunj, New Palam Vihar, Phase 3, Gurgaon, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice to the Haryana government. It has also directed the state to maintain status quo on the acquisition process.
The order was given from the vacation bench of justice Hemant Gupta and Ritu Bahri after around 11 petitioners, including one Sehdev Singh, of Sai Kunj moved court.
The state has been directed to file its reply before July 20.
The land in question came under compulsory acquisition proceedings and the government said it would be used for 'public purpose'.
As per the plan, Sector 110A would be developed on the land for rehabilitation of families whose houses were coming under the road alignment and green belt area in the development plan of Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda).
Aggrieved residents asserted that the government was trying to acquire land on which residential and commercial constructions stand raised and this was unjust.
It was also submitted that around eight acres of land which was subject to acquisition had residential and commercial structures and around 30 acres was vacant.
The bench was informed that the petitioners had also filed their objections to the authorities concerned stating that they cannot be uprooted for rehabilitation of other residents.
The petitioners had sought directions from the HC for quashing notifications dated December 21, 2009 and December 17 last year issued under sections 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act.