Land compensation rule unconstitutional
The Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional a provision in the National Highways Act (NHA), which discriminated between those whose land was compulsorily acquired for building roads and the owners of land acquired for ‘public purposes’ under the Land Acquisition Act (LAA). While those who lost land under the LAA are entitled to solatium and interest, those whose land was taken over for road building were denied that benefit. The landowners moved the Punjab & Haryana High Court against the discrimination, arguing that solatium and interest are integral parts of compensation awardable to persons whose land have been