SC Invalidates Land Swap of Giribandhu Tea Estate   

February 7: The Supreme Court has invalidated the exchange of land belonging to Giribandhu Tea Estate with a land of low value.

A constitutional bench comprising Chief Justice Bishwambhar Prasad Shrestha, justices Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada, Prakashman Singh Raut, Sapana Pradhan Malla and Sushma Lata Mathema found that the land swap was against constitutional provision and illogical, thereby being subject to cancellation.    

It may be noted that the government had amended the law to allow the tea estate to swap the land but the SC concluded that the swap deal was beyond limitation and annulled it.    
"The Government of Nepal (through cabinet decision) had given permission to the Giribandhu Tea Estate Pvt to exchange 343-19-12 bighas of land on April 26, 2021, which is  against Section 12 (c) of Land Act, 2021. So, the decision is subject to cancellation with certiorari," the SC order mentioned. -- RSS