Supreme Court Upholds Compensation as Constitutional Right in Landmark Verdict

The Supreme Court has ruled that the right to property remains a constitutional right under Article 300-A, though no longer fundamental. It mandates appropriate compensation for property acquisition. The verdict came after an appeal against a Karnataka High Court judgment regarding the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor Project.

In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the constitutional right to property, stressing that individuals cannot be dispossessed of their land without just compensation. Delivering its verdict on Thursday, the court addressed a longstanding dispute over land acquired for the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor Project.

The bench, comprising Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan, highlighted the shift in property rights post the Constitution (Forty-Fourth Amendment) Act, 1978, which downgraded property rights from fundamental to constitutional under Article 300-A. The court emphasized that fair compensation is not just a legal obligation, but a human right.

The ruling came after the appellants endured a 22-year legal struggle, with delays attributing to governmental negligence. The court directed the Special Land Acquisition Officer to reassess compensation based on 2019 market values, aiming to rectify the injustice experienced by the landowners.

(With inputs from agencies.)