Responding to the plea, the counsel for the Punjab Government contended that the land pooling policy was notified under the 2025 policy and not under the LARR Act 2013, as argued by the petitioner. On this, the bench of the Chief Justice advised the counsel for the petitioner to amend the petition accordingly to challenge the acquisition of land as per the 2025 policy. The matter was adjourned for August 19 for further hearing.Virk said that they will now amend the petition challenging the Land Pooling Policy 2025. “Although we tried to convince the court that there is not much difference between the policies as the 2025 policy is in continuation of the 2013 policy, on the advice of the bench, we will amend our petition accordingly. The next date of hearing has now been fixed for August 19,” he said.The petition stated that the policy mechanism was arbitrary and unjust and lacked any legal framework for ensuring transparency or protecting farmers’ rights. Moreover, it circumvents the safeguards of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act).“The policy is being used as an indirect and illegal method of land acquisition that sidesteps the mandatory procedures laid down under the LARR Act, particularly Sections 4, 8, and 10, which mandate social and environmental impact assessments and bar acquisition of fertile agricultural land except in exceptional circumstances,” the plea states.
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