The State Government's decision to relocate the Government Sports Complex from Navi Mumbai to a rural area for commercial exploitation has been criticized as arbitrary and against public interest. The land, reserved for 21 years for a sports complex, is now being repurposed, benefiting builders and developers at the expense of public interest. The court found this decision lacking in rational justification and detrimental to the urban population's needs. Consequently, the court quashed the decision, directing CIDCO to allocate the land for its original purpose, developing the sports complex in Navi Mumbai. The court emphasized the significance of sports infrastructure for public welfare and mandated transparency and fairness in land utilization.
Citation: 2024 LawText (BOM) (7) 5
Case Number: PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION NO. 28 OF 2019
Date of Decision: 2024-07-01
Case Title: Indian Institute of Architects Navi Mumbai Center Versus The City & Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. Ors.
Before Judge: G. S. KULKARNI & JITENDRA JAIN, JJ.
Advocate(s): Mr. Indrajeet Kulkarni for Petitioner/Applicant. Mr. Nitin V. Gangal with Mr. Ashok D. Kadam with Ms. Prerna Shukla for Respondent No.1/CIDCO. Mr. Y. S. Jahagirdar, Senior Advocate with Mr. Girish S. Godbole, Senior Advocate with Mr. Vijay Kumar Aggarwal and Mr.Shamim Shaikh, for Respondent No.5. Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. Govt. Pleader with Mr. A. A. Alaspukar, AGP for State/Respondent Nos.2, 4, 6 and 7. Mr. Tejesh Dande with Mr. Bharat Gadhavi for Respondent No.3/ NMMC. Ms. Nilima Sanglikar, for Respondent No.8.
Appellant: Indian Institute of Architects Navi Mumbai Center
Respondent: The City & Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. Ors.