M/S. Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd & Anr vs G. Jayarama Reddy & Ors

The Supreme Court addressed the legality of land acquisition under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, for a Golf-cum-Hotel Resort by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation, which subsequently transferred the land to private entities. The Court held that the transfer of acquired land for private purposes contravenes the public purpose requirement mandated by the Act, thereby quashing the acquisition proceedings as per the Karnataka High Court's ruling. The Court emphasized that land acquired for a specific public purpose cannot be diverted for private use, reinforcing the principle of public interest in land acquisition.