Supreme Court stays Gujarat HC order on taking back 108 hectares of land from Adani Group

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Gujarat High Court’s order directing the state government to retrieve 108 hectares of gauchar, or grazing, land near the Mundra port in Kutch district from an Adani Group company, reported PTI.

On Friday, the state government told the Gujarat High Court that it would take back the land and return it to villagers for grazing animals.

“Taking note of 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 [of retrieving the land] in accordance with law,” the High Court ordered on Friday.

The High Court then posted the matter for hearing on July 26.

On Wednesday, a Supreme Court bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan took note of the appeal by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited against the order.

The High Court’s order is required to be stayed in the interest of justice, the appeal said.

The land in question is part of about 231 hectares near the Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone’s Mundra port that were handed over to the company in 2005. One hectare is equal to about 2.5 acres.

The additional chief secretary of the Gujarat Revenue Department told the High Court on Friday that 129 hectares of...

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