#Project Affected Persons

Bombay High Court directs Maharashtra to establish a State Level Grievance Redressal Committee under the Maharashtra Project Affected Persons Rehabilitation Act, 1999, to address rampant illegal land allotments and pending grievances of project-affected persons (PAPs). The ruling mandates uniform criteria for land allotments to prevent arbitrariness and ensure statutory compliance.

Bombay High Court rules that cancellation of land allotment without affording a hearing violates principles of natural justice, even where fraudulent claims are alleged. The judgment underscores that procedural fairness is mandatory in administrative actions affecting property rights, regardless of the merits of the underlying dispute.

Bombay HC rules that the Maharashtra Project Affected Persons Rehabilitation Act, 1999, does not apply retrospectively, and a 33-year delay in claiming land allotment constitutes laches, barring relief. The judgment underscores that welfare legislation cannot override procedural timelines, impacting project-affected persons seeking rehabilitation benefits.