Singur Law Act validated... Tata Motors' Plea rejected

The Division bench of Justice KJ Sengupta and justice Joymalya Bagchi permitted company’s counsel Samaraditya Pal to file an appeal against the court's decision on the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act that scrapped the land lease given to Tata Motors by the Left Front regime for its small car plant.Justice IP Mukerji Sep 28 rejected the company’s plea challenging the legislation and declared the Singur land law enacted by the Mamata Banerjee-led government as constitutional and valid.The verdict also validated the actions taken by the government under the Singur land law, though the company was held entitled to compensation to be ascertained by district judge, Hooghly. The automobile major had to shift its Nano small car plant to Gujarat from Hooghly district’s Singur in 2008, owing to protests by farmers led by the Trinamool Congress that sought the return of 400 acres taken from farmers, who were reportedly unwilling to part with their lands. Recently The Calcutta high court on Monday permitted Tata Motors to appeal against its verdict validating the Singur land law but the petition could not be filed as advocates suspended work to condole a colleague's death. The petition is likely to be filed on Tuesday.