Delhi: LG Saxena approves recommendation for designating Additional District Judge as Presiding Officer, LARR
May 25, 2023
New Delhi [India], May 25 : Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Thursday approved the recommendation for designating Additional District Judge, Tis Hazari Courts, as Presiding Officer, Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Resettlement (LARR) Authority under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013.
The recommendation in this regard was made by the Chief Justice and Judges of the Delhi High Court.
A notification for the constitution of the LARR Authority consisting of the Presiding Officer for the GNCT of Delhi was issued on August 1, 2017.
According to RFCTLARR Act, a person shall be appointed as the Presiding Officer, LARR Authority if he is or has been a District Judge or he is a qualified legal practitioner for not less than seven years.
A Presiding Officer shall be appointed by the appropriate Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of a High Court in whose jurisdiction the Authority is proposed to be established.
The RFCTLARR Act came into force with effect from January 1, 2014, which requires the establishment of one or more LARR authorities for the purpose of speedy disposal of disputes relating to land acquisition, compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement.
The rules regarding the appointment of the Presiding Officer were notified on March 31, 2016. According to the rule Selection Commitee consist of the Chief Secretary, Principle Secretary (Revenue, Secretary (Law) and Secretary (l&B), Government of NCT of Delhi.
The Selection Committee in consultation with the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court recommend to the Lieutenant Governor a suitable person for appointing as the Presiding Officer, LARR Authority.
Earlier in January 2023, the LG approved the proposal of the Land & Building Department for designating any sitting District Judge as the Presiding Officer, the LARR Authority in consultation with the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, instead of initiating a fresh recruitment process for appointment to the post of Presiding Officer, LARR Authority considering a short number of cases received in the Department under the RFCTLARR Act with effect from January 1, 2014, to September 19, 2022.
"The Registrar General of the Delhi High Court, through the letter dated April 26, 2023, had conveyed the recommendations of the Chief Justice and Judges of the High Court to the Land & Building Department that ADJ-2 (West), Tis Hazari Courts be designated as Presiding Officer, LARR Authority under the RFCTLARR Act, 2013," Raj Niwas official said in a statement.
