SC notice to WB govt over allotment of land to Ganguly

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has admitted a petition challenging the allotment of land by West Bengal government to former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly for construction of a school in a posh locality of Kolkata.

The apex court issued a notice to the state government and Ganguly on a petition filed by an NGO which has alleged that the land at Salt Lake locality was alloted to the cricketer allegedly by flouting all procedures.

A Bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly took an undertaking from the cricketer's counsel that he will not go ahead with any construction activies and mainatain status quo on the land till further order.

The Bench noted the undertaking by senior advocate U U Lalit, appearing for Ganguly, that "his client will maintain the present status of the land in question".

Taking on record the statement of his counsel, the Bench said "in view of the statement of the learned counsel, we do not consider it necessary to pass any interim order".

The court was hearing an appeal filed by a West Bengal-based NGO, Humanity and others, seeking a stay on all construction activities on the one-acre plot of land.

The Calcutta High Court had dismissed the NGO's plea to stop all construction activities on the plot allotted to Ganguly.

The NGO submitted that the state government violated all norms and procedures while alloting the prime land to the former Indian cricket captain.

It said the plot was earmarked for a college but the state accommodated Ganguly's request without amending the master plan.

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