Doctrine of Eminent Domain

DOCTRINE OF EMINENT
DOMAIN
Name: Anjni Alagh, Tanushree Yadav
Enrolment Number: A3211116164, A3211116144
Semester:6
Subject: Land law
Section: A
Course: B.A.LLB(H)
Submitted to: Dr. Neha Bahl
Eminent Domain : Definition
 Policy of „eminent domain‟ is founded on two maxims namely

“saluspopuli supreme lexesto” which means that the well-
being of the people is the supreme law and “necessita public
major estquan”, which means that public need is greater than
the private need.
 It means the power to take private property for public

use by a state, municipality, or private person or
corporation authorized to exercise functions of
public character, following the payment of just
compensation to the owner of that property.
Elements of Eminent Domain.
 Elements:
Private
property
Just Taking
Elements
Compensation
Public use
Eminent Domain Compensation
Types :
Compensation
for rented
property
Compensation
Compensation
for partial Few types of for
property Compensation improvements
seizure
Compensation
for business
losses
 The requirement of public purpose is implicit in compulsory
acquisition of property by the State or, what is called, the
exercise of its power of “Eminent Domain‟.
 The principle of compulsory acquisition of property, is founded
on the superior claims of the whole community over an
individual citizen but is applicable only in those cases where
Public Purpose private property is wanted for public use, or demanded by
the public welfare and that no instance is known in which it
has been taken for the mere purpose of raising a revenue by
sale or otherwise and the exercise of such a power is utterly
destructive of individual right.
 The Court observed that it is impossible to
precisely define the expression “public purpose”.
 In each case all the facts and circumstances will
require to be closely examined in order to
determine whether a public purpose has been
established. Prima facie, the Government is the best
judge as to whether public purpose is served by
issuing acquisition order, but it is not the sole
judge. The courts have the jurisdiction and it is
State of Bombay their duty to determine the matter whenever a
question is raised ether a requisition order is or is
v/s not for a public purpose.
R.S Nanji  In the said case, the Court observed that the phrase
“public purpose” includes a purpose, that is, an
object or aim, in which the general interest of the
community, as opposed to the particular interest of
individuals is directly and vitally concerned. It is
impossible to define precisely the expression
“public purpose”. In each case all the facts and
circumstances will require to be closely examined
to determine whether a public purpose has been
established.
Scindia
 The court observed that the very object of
Employees’ compulsory acquisition is in exercise of the power
Union of eminent domain by the State against the wishes
or willingness of the owner or person interested in
v/s the land.
State of Therefore, so long as the public purpose subsists,
theexercise of the power of eminent domain cannot
Maharashtra & be questioned.
Others
Application of Eminent Domain in India.
 The Constitution of India first provided the right to property (which includes
land) under Articles 19 and 31.
 Article 19 certain that all citizens have the right to obtain, hold and dispose of
property.
 Article 31 stated that "no person shall be disadvantaged of his property save by
authority of law." It also designated that recompense would be remunerated to
a person whose property has been taken for public drives.
 The Forty-Fourth Amendment of 1978 erased the right to property from the
list of important rights with an introduction of a new provision, Article 300-A,
which provided that "no person shall be deprived of his property save by
authority of law“. The amendment safeguarded that the right to property‟ is no
more a fundamental right but somewhat a constitutional/legal right.
 Article 300-A merely says that “ No person shall be deprived
of his property save by authority of law”.
Article 300-A  Hence, the rights in property can be shortened, abridged or
altered by the State only by exercising its legislative power and
and Eminent decision-making order.
Domain
 Depriving a person of his property without being sponsored by
a law is not constitutionally valid.
The following 3 tests must be pleased for article 300-A to
be valid.
1.The authority which has passed the law

must have the legislative capability to do
3 Tests in order so.
for 300-A to be 2.It must not invade upon any other

fundamental right certain by part III of the
valid. Constitution.
3.It must not violate any other

provision of the Constitution.
Conclusion
 Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) knows the Right to private
property, India being a participant to the declaration documented the property right in
Articles 19(1)(f) and 31 under part III of the Constitution as a fundamental right.
Article 31(1) was a kind of consequence with Article 17 of United Nation
Declaration of Human Rights i.e., „no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his
property‟. Similarly Article 19(1)(f) is effect with Article 17(1) of United Nations
Declaration of Human Rights i.e., “Everyone has the right to own property alone as
well as in association with other”.
 Conceptually, the origin of the State’s power to obtain land going to an individual
lies in the right of eminent domain. Therefore, Right to property is not an absolute
right, it allows the state meddling with it for genuine purposes. However to
defend the State’s interference with private property many Constitution and
Human Rights leaflets require it to be the public interest. Government meddling
may occur in the form of expropriation of existing property of subjects when
public interest warrants. The word “Public purpose” is the ignoble (means) for
exercising the eminent domain power or sovereign power. So it is right time
transitively define the word “public purpose‟ without giving any possibility for ill-
treating the power. Therefore, the word „public purpose‟ defined under the Right
to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and
Resettlement Act is moderately less unclear, it will still not stop the judiciary from
looking into questions of misuse in actual gaining or use of land but moderately
less chances of abuse of eminent domain power.

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DOCTRINE OF EMINENT

 Policy of „eminent domain‟ is founded on two maxims namely

 It means the power to take private property for public

1.The authority which has passed the law

for 300-A to be 2.It must not invade upon any other

3.It must not violate any other

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