Self-contained planning statute excludes import of lapse provisions from the Land Acquisition Act into State acquisitions.

The Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966 operates as a self-contained code for planned development, reservation, acquisition of reserved lands, compensation, vesting, urgency acquisition and default consequences. Its references to the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 are limited to specific acquisition and compensation purposes, so later amendments to the Central Act are not automatically imported. Section 11A, which provides for lapse of acquisition proceedings, cannot be read into Chapter VII of the State Act because that would override the Act's own time limits and statutory scheme. Only those Central Act provisions expressly or consistently incorporated may apply.

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Issues: (i) Whether the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966 is a self-contained code governing planned development and acquisition for reserved lands. (ii) Whether Section 11A of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and other post-1984 amendments to that Act apply to acquisitions under Chapter VII of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966.

Issue (i): Whether the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966 is a self-contained code governing planned development and acquisition for reserved lands.

Analysis: The statutory scheme of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966 provides a complete framework for regional and town planning, reservation of land, restriction on development, acquisition modes, compensation, adjudication of disputes, vesting, urgency acquisition, and consequences of default. The references to the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 are confined to specific purposes such as the mode of declaration, acquisition machinery, and principles relevant to compensation. The structure and internal time limits of the State Act show that its operation does not depend on a wholesale import of the Central Act.

Conclusion: The Act is a self-contained code.

Issue (ii): Whether Section 11A of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and other post-1984 amendments to that Act apply to acquisitions under Chapter VII of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966.

Analysis: The reference made by the State Act to the Land Acquisition Act is specific and limited, showing incorporation of identified provisions for the limited purpose of acquisition and compensation, not a general reference attracting later amendments across the board. Reading Section 11A into the State Act would override the distinct statutory time frames and default consequences contained in Sections 126 and 127, frustrate planned development, and disturb the legislative scheme. The later amendments to the Central Act relating to compensation may apply to the limited extent consistent with the State Act, but provisions dealing with lapse of acquisition proceedings cannot be imported.

Conclusion: Section 11A does not apply to acquisitions under Chapter VII of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966, and the amendments concerning lapse of acquisition proceedings cannot be read into that Act.

Final Conclusion: The reference is answered in favour of the State and against the contention that the acquisition under Chapter VII must lapse under Section 11A of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

Ratio Decidendi: Where a special State planning statute contains a complete acquisition and compensation scheme with specific references to the Land Acquisition Act, only the referenced provisions may be imported for their limited purpose, and time-limit or lapse provisions of the Central Act cannot be read into the State Act if that would defeat its legislative scheme.

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