Supreme Court Limits State Power to Acquire Private Property

In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court clarified that only certain private resources meeting specific criteria can be acquired by the state for public benefit.

A nine-judge bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, delivered the verdict with an 8-1 majority, setting boundaries on the state's power under Article 39(b) of the Constitution.
The ruling emphasized that not all privately owned properties qualify as 'material resources of the community' and therefore cannot be automatically acquired by the state.
Factors such as the nature, scarcity, and community impact of the resource will determine if it can be considered for state acquisition.
The decision overruled previous judgments that had taken a broader interpretation of state power to acquire private resources.
The court upheld the constitutional protection under Article 31C for laws furthering Article 39(b) objectives, ensuring they cannot be challenged on equality and fundamental freedoms grounds.