After HC rap, Punjab govt withdraws land pooling policy, cancels all related actions
PTC Web Desk: The Punjab Government on Monday formally withdrew its controversial Land Pooling Policy dated May 14, 2025, just days after the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed its implementation for four weeks and issued a scathing critique of its framework, planning, and legal preparedness.
In a press note issued by the Principal Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development, the government announced that the policy and all its subsequent amendments stand cancelled with immediate effect. All actions taken under the scheme, including the issuance of Letters of Intent (LOIs), registrations, and other measures , will be reversed.
The withdrawal follows mounting criticism from multiple fronts, including a strong reprimand from the Punjab and Haryana High Court earlier this week, and protests by the Shiromani Akali Dal and several farmer organisations.
Punjab and Haryana High Court flags major loopholes
During the hearing, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had warned that the policy, if implemented in its present form, could trigger large-scale land exploitation by private players and land mafias, while leaving the poor, landless, and labour class vulnerable.
The Bench had grilled the state’s former Advocate General, Gurminder Singh, over the absence of provisions for landless labourers and economically weaker sections. The court noted the lack of a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which it termed essential for any major land-related initiative, especially in an agrarian state like Punjab.
Rejecting the government’s argument that the scheme’s voluntary nature exempted it from the 2013 Land Acquisition Act, the court called the approach “irresponsible” and “dangerous,” highlighting the absence of a budget, timeline, or concrete planning. “Everything seems to be in the air,” the Bench remarked.
Concerns over builders, illegal colonies
The court also questioned the feasibility of developing fragmented land parcels if only some landowners participated, and raised alarms over the policy’s potential misuse by private builders and land mafias. Noting Punjab’s ongoing struggle with thousands of illegal colonies, the Bench warned that the scheme could worsen the situation.
Senior Advocate Shailendra Jain, assisting the court, criticised the policy for lacking basic legal and administrative groundwork, while also faulting the government for repeated adjournment requests.
Punjab had two choices
The court had stayed the policy and its notification for four weeks, directing the state to either withdraw it or face a formal injunction. It further instructed that in future, such policies must undergo legal vetting by the Advocate General’s office before being introduced.
- PTC NEWS
