Karnataka HC Orders Govt to Compensate Landowners After 70 Years of Unlawful Land Use
The Karnataka High Court has directed the State government to pay compensation to landowners whose private land was taken nearly 70 years ago without proper legal acquisition. The court noted that the government had been using the land for decades for public purposes but failed to follow due process under land acquisition laws.
Emphasizing that constitutional rights cannot be overridden by prolonged state occupation, the court said the government cannot evade responsibility merely because the encroachment occurred decades earlier. It held that the passage of time does not extinguish the landowners’ right to compensation.
The State has been instructed to calculate compensation at current market value and release the amount within a stipulated timeframe. The order reinforces that any use of private land for public purposes must comply with legal procedures and that governments remain accountable for lapses, regardless of when they occurred.
Karnataka HC Orders Govt to Compensate Landowners After 70 Years of Unlawful Land Use
