Shillong: The High Court of Meghalaya on July 23, 2025, delivered its final verdict in a long-standing land acquisition dispute that had been pending since 2016, ordering the release of compensation funds withheld for nearly a decade.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh disposed of the public interest litigation that raised concerns about allegedly inflated compensation rates, questioning whether public funds had been misused during the land acquisition process.
The controversy stemmed from a 2017 Supreme Court directive which flagged the compensation rate of ₹115 per square foot as suspiciously high compared to the original purchase price paid by the landowner. As a result, the court had restrained the disbursal of compensation to Patricia Nongsiej and Stied Dkhar, prompting further investigation.
In response, the High Court appointed a Special Judicial Officer to assess the validity of the compensation. In her judgment dated June 20, 2025, the officer concluded that the payment was justified under Section 26 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
The High Court acknowledged that the landowner, represented by Senior Advocate K. Paul, had already received 80% of the due compensation and was now seeking the remaining 20%. However, other contesting parties laid claim to the remaining portion, complicating the matter.
Chief Justice Mukerji clarified that the Special Judicial Officer’s ruling must be treated as a final judgment rendered in the exercise of original jurisdiction since the matter arose from a PIL and not under the Land Acquisition Act’s appeal provisions.
The court directed the state to hold the remaining 20% compensation for eight more weeks, after which it is to be released to the original transferor unless any contrary legal orders are issued within that period.
The judgment brings closure to a complex legal standoff while allowing room for appeal by any aggrieved party through due legal process.
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