DARSHAN LAL NAGPAL vs GOVT.OF NCT OF DELHI .

The Supreme Court examined whether the Government of NCT of Delhi could invoke Section 17(1) and (4) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 to bypass the hearing requirement under Section 5A(2) for acquiring land for a public purpose, specifically for an electric sub-station. The Court held that the invocation of these sections was justified given the urgency of the project, thereby upholding the Division Bench of the Delhi High Court's decision that had rejected the appellants' challenge to the land acquisition. The Court emphasized the necessity of the sub-station for meeting power demands, particularly in light of the upcoming Commonwealth Games.