Haryana loses land battle: unused ‘Bachat’ land stays with farmers, not state.
The Supreme Court upheld the High Court’s ruling that unutilized bachat land reserved during consolidation does not vest in the State or Gram Panchayat. Such land must revert to the original landowners, as its reservation without specific common use violates constitutional protections under Article 31-A.
Court:
Supreme Court of India
Case:
Civil Appeal No. 6990 of 2014
The State of Haryana vs. Jai Singh & Others
Date of Judgement:
September 16, 2025
Act:
Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961 (as amended by Haryana Act No. 9 of 1992)
East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948