Guj HC Bench recuses from petition against Reliance SEZ

<g data-gr-id="28">hmedabad</g>: A division Bench of the Gujarat High Court, headed by acting Chief Justice VM Sahai, has recused itself from hearing a petition against acquisition of land for a special economic zone (SEZ) in five villages in Jamnagar district for Reliance Project Engineering Associates. “List these matters before a Bench, of which both of us are not members after obtaining nomination from the Honourable acting Chief Justice on the administrative side,” the Bench of Justices Sahai and RP <g data-gr-id="22">Dholaria</g> 

had said on June 22.

Before passing the order, Justice Sahai said: “We can’t take up the case....whatever has happened in the last two-three days has shaken our confidence.” However, he did not elaborate further on the reasons. Local villagers, who have moved the HC, have alleged that land acquisition rules were violated while granting land to the Reliance group.

According to the petition, on November 21, 2005, the Union government sanctioned SEZ for petroleum and <g data-gr-id="23">petro</g> products for Reliance Project Engineering Associates by “violating” all the norms under SEZ Act. Subsequently, 4,494 hectares of land in Navagam, Kanalus, Kanachhikari, Padana and Derachhikari were acquired by Reliance Industries Ltd in 2008, it says.