HYDERABAD: The state government told HC on Friday that it had the power to procure or purchase land for public purpose in accordance with Article 298 of the Constitution (power to carry on trade or business and to the acquisition, holding and disposal of property and the making of contracts for any purpose).
Advocate-general K Ramakrishna Reddy made this submission before a division bench of acting chief justice Ramesh Ranganathan and justice U Durga Prasad Rao which was dealing with a batch of petitions filed by land-owners and farmers of Medak challenging the action of government in procuring lands through GO No 123 for the proposed Mallanna Sagar irrigation project.
Earlier, advocate NS Arjun, appearing for one of the petitioners from Gopalpet mandal of Mahbubnagar district, submitted that the revenue officials were forcing villagers to accept the menial compensation for their houses. In fact, the state does not have any power under Article 298 of the Constitution to acquire lands for any kind of project.