Farmers approach HC , seek suspension of GO 166

Hyderabad, May 19, 2015: Some farmers, real estate developers and individual plot owners of the AP capital region have filed petitions in the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad challenging the GO 166 issued by the Chandrababu Naidu Government on May 14 invoking the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act for acquiring land for capital city. The petitioners' contention is that the AP Government has no right to exempt the Capital Region Development Authority from the provisions of the Chapters 2 and 3 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013. The petitioners sought the suspension of the GO 166 and sought directions to the Government accordingly. "The CRDA should not be allowed to be exempted from the said provisions as the exemptions should only be given to projects of rural infrastructure, national security and defence of the country," the petitioners had argued. The petitions will be clubbed and heard by the HC during this week.