The acquisition of land for the Aerotropolis/Aero City Expansion Project in Mohali has come under judicial scrutiny, with the Punjab and Haryana High Court issuing a notice of motion to the state government in a fresh challenge mounted by affected landowners.
Court Extends Interim Protection
The Division Bench of Justice Sandeep Moudgil and Justice Rohit Kapoor has also extended to the petitioners an earlier interim order that stayed the passing of the award in the land acquisition matter. The Bench was hearing a petition filed by Jarnail Singh and others against Punjab and other respondents.
The petitioners challenged notifications dated December 9, 2025, and March 24, 2026, issued under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. Through their counsel Gaurav Datta, Srishti S Sharma, and Anushka Gupta, they sought the quashing of the acquisition proceedings on the grounds that the mandatory Social Impact Assessment was not conducted and that objections filed under Section 15 of the 2013 Act were not considered.
Additional Advocate-General Satjot Chahal accepted notice on behalf of the state. The Bench ordered that the matter be heard along with a related petition on October 1, and directed that the interim order passed in the connected matter would operate in the present case as well.
Background of the Case
Acting on a connected petition filed by Abhinav Bindra and another petitioner, a Division Bench of Justice Alka Sarin and Justice Ramesh Chander Dimri had earlier issued notice of motion and directed: "Meanwhile, passing of the award qua the petitioners shall remain stayed."
By directing that the interim order in the connected matter would apply to the present petition, the Bench headed by Justice Moudgil extended the same protection to the petitioners before it, making it clear that the award could not be passed against them pending further consideration of their challenge.
Significance of the High Court Order
The High Court's order means that the state cannot issue the land acquisition award regarding the petitioners-landowners while the case remains pending. An award in land acquisition proceedings is a formal, binding document that determines the true market value of the land, the final compensation, solatium, and its proper apportionment among the interested landowners.
Under the 2013 Act, the award is the stage at which the compensation payable for the acquired land is determined, formally completing a key step in the acquisition process. By staying the award, the High Court has ensured that the petitioners' challenge to the acquisition proceedings is not rendered infructuous before their grievances are examined.
The order gives the landowners temporary protection while the court considers their submissions that the acquisition process suffered from legal infirmities, including the alleged absence of a mandatory Social Impact Assessment and non-consideration of objections. The interim protection is limited to restraining the authorities from passing the award against the petitioners until further orders.
