BHAVNAGAR UNIVERSITY vs PALITANA SUGAR MILL PVT.LTD. .

The Supreme Court interpreted Sections 20 and 21 of the Gujarat Town Planning and Urban Development Act, 1976, determining that the failure of the State to acquire land within ten years of the final development plan leads to the lapse of reservation under Section 20(2). The Court held that the issuance of a draft revised plan does not prevent landowners from serving notice for acquisition, thus affirming the High Court's decision. The Court emphasized that the objects of a comprehensive development plan cannot be achieved within a fixed timeframe, thereby rejecting the appellant's argument for automatic extension of the acquisition period.