SC Says Compensation Mechanism for National Highway Acquisitions must be on Par with Other Acquisition Laws

The Supreme Court directed that the compensation framework under the National Highways Act must be aligned with the principles and standards applicable under other land acquisition statutes.

The Court noted that the current regime for acquiring land for national highways does not provide compensation comparable to other acquisition laws, potentially leading to hardship for affected landowners. 

It emphasised that fairness and parity in compensation are essential to uphold the rights of landowners and to ensure equitable treatment across different acquisition regimes.

The matter was taken up to ensure consistent and just compensation practices in land acquisition for public infrastructure.