Allahabad HC asks UP CM to order probe into 'negligence' by KDA officers over land possession delay

PRAYAGRAJ: (Apr 13) The Allahabad High Court has called upon the Uttar Pradesh chief minister to order an enquiry into alleged negligence by Kanpur Development Authority (KDA) officials and recover damages from those responsible for a 41-year delay in handing over possession of an allotted land.

Taking serious note of the prolonged delay, the court issued the direction while hearing a case involving a 90-year-old plaintiff who had secured a 999-year lease in 1984 but was never given possession despite repeated requests.

Allowing a first appeal filed by lease holder B N Tripathi, Justice Sandeep Jain observed, "Only God knows when they will be able to obtain possession." The court also noted that the second plaintiff, Yugrani Devi, died on September 13, 2011, while Tripathi is now nearly 90 years old.