In a major relief for the Adani Group, the Supreme Court has stayed a Gujarat High Court order asking the state government to resume the process of taking back nearly 108 hectares of grazing land that was given to Adani Ports in 2005 on Wednesday.
A bench headed by Justice BR Gavai and comprising Justice KV Viswanathan stopped the High Court order. The judges considered an appeal filed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited, arguing that a pause in the court ruling was necessary in the interest of justice.
The Supreme Court has asked for a response from the state government and sent a notice. “Issue a notice. Stay of the impugned order,” the bench said.
The 108 hectares of land (266 acres) is located near Mundra Port in Kutch district. The Gujarat government had notified the High Court last week that it would begin reclaiming the land that was granted to the Adani Group company in 2005, prompting the top court’s judgement.
The state government’s decision came 13 years after the people of Navinal village of Kutch district had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against a decision to allot 231 acres of gracing land to the Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd. Even though the Adani Group was given the land in 2005, the people were unaware of it until 2010.
The residents claim that after 231 of the 276 acres of such land were given to Adani Ports, the village was left with just 45 acres of grazing land. Additionally, they said that since the village already struggled with a lack of grazing area, the move was unlawful. They also asserted that the land was a shared resource and shared land.
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