SC notice to Centre on land ordinance re-promulgation

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre on a plea made by a group of farmers' associations, challenging the re-promulgation of the controversial land acquisition ordinance by the NDA government.

A bench of Justices J S Khehar and S A Bobde sought response from the government within four weeks while refusing to stay the operation of the ordinance issued on April 3.

“Let us first see what they (government) have to say. We can also decide on calling for records then,” the bench told senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing the associations.
The court also observed that if the ordinance becomes an enactment, the petition would turn infructuous since it has challenged the manner of promulgating and re-promulgating the ordinance.

Bhartiya Kisan Union's convenor Rakesh Tikait, along with other farmers’ associations representatives were present during the brief hearing.

The petitioners, including BKU and Delhi Grameen Samaj through its President Ravi Dutt contended that the land bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on March 10, but the Rajya Sabha was prorogued on March 28 with ulterior and malafide motive only with a view to repromulgate the 2014 ordinance.

Claiming that the government’s move was malafide and ‘fraud on the Constitution', they urged the court to declare the ordinance as “unconstitutional, null and void and ultra vires” of Articles 14 and 123 of the Constitution.