A packed Courtroom No. 5 of the Supreme Court on Tuesday saw an unusually long list of connected land acquisition matters reach a temporary pause, as the bench reserved its judgment after hearing both sides at length. The cases stem from a long-running dispute between the Karnataka administration and M/s S.V. Global Mill Limited over compensation and related issues arising from land acquisition proceedings.
Background
At the heart of the matter is a challenge filed by the Deputy Commissioner and Special Land Acquisition Officer against orders passed by the Karnataka High Court at Bengaluru. The High Court had earlier dealt with review petitions and appeals linked to compensation determined for land acquired for public purposes. Dissatisfied with those outcomes, the State authorities moved the Supreme Court through multiple Special Leave Petitions, which later snowballed into a large batch of connected cases.
For ordinary readers, a Special Leave Petition, or SLP, is essentially a request asking the Supreme Court to step in and examine whether a lower court’s decision needs correction. Over time, similar disputes from different landowners and projects were tagged together, which explains the long cause list and the heavy presence of senior counsel.
Court’s Observations
The bench comprising Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma heard submissions from a battery of lawyers representing the State, landowners, and intervenors. Senior advocates appearing for the government argued that the High Court had erred in reopening settled issues related to compensation and procedure. On the other side, counsel for the landowners maintained that the valuation of land and statutory benefits were not properly considered earlier.
While the court did not make any detailed remarks on merits during the hearing, it was clear that the judges were keen to understand the broader implications. At one point, the bench noted that similar questions were cropping up repeatedly, indicating a systemic issue in how land acquisition disputes are being handled across the State. As one advocate whispered outside the courtroom, “This isn’t just one mill or one village, it’s about the formula itself.”
Decision
After hearing the learned counsel for all parties, the Supreme Court passed a short order. “Heard learned counsel for the respective parties,” the bench recorded, before stating plainly, “Judgment reserved.” With that, the matters were closed for the day, and all eyes now turn to the final verdict, which will determine the fate of the appeals and may set the tone for similar land acquisition cases in Karnataka and beyond.
Case Title: The Deputy Commissioner and Special Land Acquisition Officer vs. M/s S.V. Global Mill Limited
Case No.: SLP (Civil) Nos. 215–216 of 2023 (along with multiple connected SLPs)
Case Type: Special Leave Petition (Civil) – Land Acquisition and Compensation Dispute
Decision Date: 10 December 2025 (Judgment Reserved)