SC annoyed with Bihar Govt on land acquisition matter

Annoyed over the dragging of a land acquisition case in Bihar for over a decade, the Supreme Court today blamed the state government for taking it for a ride and said the Chief Minister should be given the best advise.
"Someone should come to say, close the case. Something has to be said by the Bihar Government. We request you to advise the Chief Minister in the best way. They have taken us for a ride. I am telling it consciously, they have taken us for a ride. We request you to use your good office," a bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu told a senior counsel appearing for Bihar government.

The apex court was hearing the matter relating to land acquisition by Bihar Finance Service House Construction Co- operative Society Ltd.
The court will now take up the matter on July 12.
The matter had reached to the apex court by way of an appeal in 2003 and was disposed of on November 22, 2004, but applications were filed regularly on one pretext or another, with a contempt petition also being filed this year.
Expressing displeasure over the "chequered history" of the case, the bench, which also comprised Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy, said all sorts of submissions were being made including that the land was in the outskirts of Bihar.

"It is a people's problem and human problem. ... We fail to understand the attitude of the authority. This matter has a chequered history," it said.
"I remember as to how many times this matter has come up for hearing before us. Lawyers have changed. Everytime Bihar Government will come up with different lawyers," it said, while naming some senior advocates like Mukul Rohatgi (now Attorney General), Ranjit Kumar (now Solicitor General ) and L Nageshwar Rao, who is presently appearing in the matter.