High Court Issues Notice On PIL Against Rajasthan Land Revenue Amendment Act, Actions Under Section 100A Subject To Final Outcome

The Rajasthan High Court has issued notices to the State of Rajasthan, particularly the Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (“RIICO”), in relation to a PIL challenging the constitutional validity of Rajasthan Land Revenue (Amendment & Validation) Act, 2025. The division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Baljinder Singh Sandhu clarified that any actions taken in terms of the Section 100A, inserted by way of the 2025 Act, shall be subject to the decision of the case. The PIL has alleged that RIICO had repeatedly acted beyond its lawful authority by granting change of use permission, building permissions, extensions, executing supplementary lease deeds, etc, in favour of private parties, despite clear judicial decision to the effect that RIICO had no such statutory power. Quoting example of the matter in hand, it was put forth that despite categorical orders of the High Court quashing conversion permissions and directing status quo, RIICO continued to facilitate construction activity and proceeded to execute supplementary lease deed in favour of the private party. It was contended that when such actions were judicially denied, a legislative route was adopted by enacting the 2025 Act and inserting Section 100-A which vested lands places at the disposal of RIICO as deemed to be vested in it retrospectively, and further granted sweeping powers to RIICO in relation to disposal of land, change of land use, approvals, permissions etc. Furthermore, 100-A(2) retrospectively validated and condoned all acts of RIICO notwithstanding any judgments, decrees, statutory requirements, procedural defects, or lack of competent sanction. The PIL argues that the amendment struck at the heart of constitutional governance, undermining the doctrine of separation of powers and violating the basic principles affirmed by the judicial decisions. “…the impugned amendment is not a bona fide regulatory measure but a colourable exercise of legislative power intended solely to nullify binding judicial determinations and to protect illegal actions already undertaken. By retrospectively validating unauthorized conversion, constructions and lease deeds, the amendment destroys the rule of law, undermines planned development, bypasses municipal governance under Part IX-A of the Constitution, and places RIICO beyond judicial scrutiny.”It has been further contended that the powers granted to RIICO by the amendment otherwise lied within the statutory and constitutional domain of public authorities. RIICO was merely a company incorporated under the Companies Act, and did not fall within parameters of statutory body. In this background, the PIL sought urgent interim protection to restrain ongoing constriction, preservation of records, assessment of financial implications, and an independent inquiry into the systemic illegality and abuse of power bv RIICO and concerned officials. The Court has issued notices, and declared that all action under the Amendment shall be subject to the decision of the case. Title: Shreyansh Mehta & Anr. v State of Rajasthan & Ors.Click Here To Read/Download Order

High Court Issues Notice On PIL Against Rajasthan Land Revenue Amendment Act, Actions Under Section 100A Subject To Final Outcome

Nupur Agrawal

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