Supreme Court: State cannot claim adverse possession over property of private citizens

The Supreme Court in the case The State of Haryana v. Amin Lal (Since deceased) through Legal Representatives observed and has reiterated that the State cannot claim adverse possession over the property of private citizens.

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The bench comprising of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Prasanna B Varale was hearing the present matter.

The bench in the case observed and has allowed the State to appropriate private property through adverse possession would undermine the constitutional rights of citizens and erode public trust in the government.

The court in the case made the observation wherein the court dismissed an appeal filed by the State of Haryana raising a claim of adverse possession against a property of private individuals.

In the present case, the private parties filed a civil suit in 1981 in respect of a land measuring 18 Biswas Pukhta adjoining the National Highway 10, alleging that the Haryana Public Works Department had unauthorisedly occupied it.