Delay and laches bar a belated land acquisition challenge after decades of inaction.

A writ challenge to land acquisition was held barred by delay and laches where it was filed more than 22 years after the Section 4 notification. The Court found that prior pursuit of a reference for enhanced compensation and an appeal in compensation proceedings did not explain the respondents' own prolonged inaction. Claimed reasons, including non-use of the acquired land, earlier litigation by another party, and allegations of fraud, were insufficient because they did not justify the long delay in seeking writ relief. Mere non-implementation of the stated public use did not excuse decades of silence. The petition was therefore not entertainable.

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Issues: Whether the writ petition challenging land acquisition was barred by inordinate delay and laches.

Analysis: The writ petition was filed more than 22 years after the Section 4 notification, despite the respondents having already pursued a reference for enhancement of compensation and an appeal in the compensation proceedings. The reasons offered for the delay, including alleged non-use of the acquired land, prior litigation by another party, and allegations of fraud, were found insufficient because they did not explain the respondents' own prolonged inaction. The mere fact that the land had not been put to the originally stated use did not justify waiting for decades before invoking writ jurisdiction.

Conclusion: The writ petition was barred by delay and laches and ought not to have been entertained.

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