Kerala High Court Halts Sabarimala Airport Land Acquisition Over Flaws

The Kerala High Court overturned parts of the land acquisition process for Sabarimala greenfield airport due to inadequate assessment of required land. The court directed a fresh review, emphasizing compliance with the 2013 Land Acquisition Act, following petitions challenging government decisions on land extent and procedural validity.

The Kerala High Court has annulled crucial phases of the land acquisition for the planned Sabarimala greenfield airport, citing insufficient assessment by the state of the minimal land necessary for the project.

The court's ruling followed a December 19 order, demanding the state initiate a fresh social impact assessment to explore the minimum land required, revisiting the appraisal by an expert group, and subsequent government reconsideration.

This decision came in response to a writ petition by the Ayana Charitable Trust, challenging the state's adherence to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013—which mandates acquiring only the absolute bare minimum land for such projects.