Congress to move Supreme Court over Telangana's Land Act

Hyderabad: Arguing that the Telangana state Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act introduced by the TRS government was in violation of the Central Land Acquisition Act 2013 passed by the UPA government, the TS Congress has decided in principle to challenge the state Act in the Supreme Court.

“There are many violations of the Central Act. We will file a PIL,” TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy told the media here on Thursday.

He said pro-farmer laws have been excluded from the new Act, and it also did away with the provision of mandatory holding of gram sabhas, and initiation of a social impact study of the areas where the land is to be acquired.

Instead, there were some draconian laws in the state amendment, Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged, saying these were ultra vires vis-a-vis the Central Act.

He alleged that state BJP leaders were trying to lure Congress leaders into the saffron fold, and asked whether such actions went well with the BJP’s ideology.

“To my knowledge, no Congress leader is unhappy with the party and there is no chance of any senior leaders jumping the ship. They are spreading such rumours on the eve of Amit Shah’s visit here,” Mr Reddy said.

He said if the BJP was really serious about strengthening its base in the state, it should work its way forward in positive ways.