Punjab: HC grants interim stay on land pooling policy

Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday ordered an interim stay on the operation of Punjab's land pooling policy.

The direction came on a petition filed by Gurdeep Singh Gill, challenging the Punjab government's land pooling policy 2025. After the hearing, petitioner's counsel Gurjeet Singh said the court has granted an interim stay on the land pooling policy.

A four-week time has been given for filing the reply, he further stated while speaking to reporters. The counsel said neither there was any social impact assessment nor any environment related assessment was carried out under the land pooling policy.

Ludhiana-based petitioner Gill sought directions to quash the state government notification dated June 24 along with the land pooling policy 2025, being ultra vires and an act of "colourable legislation", violating fundamental rights.

On August 6, the court asked the Punjab government whether there was any provision in the policy for rehabilitation of the landless labourers for their sustenance.

The state had also been directed to inform the court whether the social impact assessment was carried out before notifying the land pooling

policy.