SC seeks govt reply on land ordinance

The government had recently re-promulgated the land ordinance after it lapsed on June 4.

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The ordinance was first promulgated in December last year, re-promulgated in April this year and again in May.

The Supreme Court Thursday asked the Centre to clarify in four weeks its stand on re-promulgation of the Land Acquisition Ordinance, the legality of which was challenged by a group of farmers. The petition is being heard by a bench comprising Justices J S Khehar and Adarsh Kumar Goel.

The government had recently re-promulgated the land ordinance after it lapsed on June 4. The ordinance was first promulgated in December last year, re-promulgated in April this year and again in May.

The bench had issued the notice first in April on a petition by a group of farmers’ associations. The fresh plea was filed due to the re-promulgation.

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The petitioners also questioned the manner in which Rajya Sabha was prorogued solely to enable the executive to successively re-issue the ordinance. The petitioners alleged that the ordinance was a fraud on the Constitution and sought its quashing.

“Merely because it does not have the requisite number in the Rajya Sabha, the executive cannot be permitted to continue the law-making exercise by way of an ordinance,” it stated.

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