Kerala High Court Halts Sabarimala Airport Land Acquisition

The Kerala High Court has annulled parts of the Sabarimala airport land acquisition process, citing inadequate assessment of land requirements. The court ruled the decision-making process under the 2013 land acquisition act flawed and ordered a fresh social impact assessment. The project was challenged by Ayana Charitable Trust.

The Kerala High Court has annulled crucial phases of the land acquisition process for the proposed Sabarimala greenfield airport. The court determined that the state government did not adequately assess the minimum land required for the project, leading to a legal flaw in the decision-making process under the 2013 land acquisition act.

The court's December 19 order responded to challenges by Ayana Charitable Trust, which disputed the state's Social Impact Assessment and other procedural steps. Justice C Jayachandran highlighted a lack of due diligence by authorities in determining land necessity, finding the state's actions inconsistent with legal mandates.

Subsequently, the court mandated a renewed social impact assessment focusing on the minimum land requirement for the project. It recommended including technical experts in future assessments for projects of such complexity to ensure lawful and informed decision-making.

(With inputs from agencies.)