Govt tightens noose around land mafia, decides not to de-notify any lands

Govt tightens noose around land mafia, decides not to de-notify any lands
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Continuing its grip against land mafia, the State government has issued a circular directing all government departments not to de-notify the lands acquired by it.

Briefing reporters on the circular issued by the law department on June 15, law and parliamentary affairs minister H K Patil said that as per section 15 (1) and section 48 (1) of the land acquisition Act, the State government cannot withdraw from acquisition.

“The government may even auction the lands it had acquired, but can not de-notify. De-notification done in such cases will be treated as illegal,” he said.

Patil clarified that the government decided to come out with this circular to protect general public against those adopting “dubious” means to get de-notification done by the government by making use of “loopholes” in the system.

Asked whether the circular was issued in view of increasing pressure on the coalition government to de-notify the lands around Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Project (BMICP), the minister said that the circular was not aimed at any individual in the city. “It is applicable through out the State. This was issued in view of criticism received by the government on de-notification of lands,” he added.

Answering a question he said his department had received only six files seeking legal opinion with regard to de-notification.