Telangana amends land acquisition Bill

In a special one-day session convened on Sunday, the Telangana Legislative Assembly and Council passed amendments to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Telangana) Bill 2016.

The State Assembly had passed the Bill in December 2016 and sent it to the Centre for review. The Department of Legal Affairs of the Union Ministry of Law and Justice suggested a few procedural and terminology-related amendments to make the Bill immune to litigation and eligible for presidential assent.

The amendments included the date of effect of the Act from January 1, 2014, provision to not affect any vested rights, ensuring adequate compensation to the land owners in the event of acquisition, and replacement of certain terms used in the Bill.

The Assembly witnessed noisy scenes as Opposition members tried to disrupt the proceedings by holding placards highlighting problems of chilli farmers. The members of BJP and TDP were not present as they had been suspended from the House earlier.

The Congress members did not allow an MIM member to speak. Responding to requests from Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao and members of the ruling TRS party, Speaker S Madhusudanachary took up the Bill for passage. Later in the day, it was also passed by the Council.