Compensation denial leads to DM house seizure

A Moradabad land acquisition court ordered the attachment of Bijnor district magistrate's official residence and summoned the officer to appear in person on Jan 9, 2026, after compensation awarded to a landowner in 2020 was not paid despite a court decree.DM Jasjit Kaur said judge Zaigham Uddin of Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authority passed the order in the case of Umesh Kumar vs govt. The case relates to land acquired years ago by the irrigation department, for which the compensation amount of Rs 25.2 lakh remains unpaid.The petitioner informed the court that despite a decree issued on March 13, 2020, the district administration did not disburse the amount to him.

Taking serious note of the non-compliance, the court initiated coercive proceedings and summoned the district magistrate to determine compliance and initiate case registration.Kaur said efforts would be made to ensure that govt releases the compensation amount to the irrigation department before the next hearing so that payment can be made to the landowner as per rules. "An inquiry will be conducted to identify the officer or employee responsible for the delay in forwarding the compensation request to govt.

Appropriate action will be taken against all those found responsible," she said.Under the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, authorities are required to ensure timely compensation to individuals whose land is acquired for public purposes. Delays in implementation, particularly after court orders, have led to judicial interventions, including property attachment and summons to senior officials.In UP, courts have repeatedly pulled up district administrations for delays in disbursing land acquisition compensation and have issued strict compliance timelines.