Suraj Kumar Sahoo Vs State of Odisha — Orissa HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

Suraj Kumar Sahoo Vs State of Odisha — Orissa HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ petition disposed of as withdrawn, with liberty to file a fresh writ petition with better particulars within a period of one month.

Issue for consideration

Whether the Petitioners, whose land was acquired for the Bharatpur Open Caste Project (OCP), were entitled to the benefit of employment from the authorities under Mahanadi Coal Field Limited (MCL), i.e., Opposite Party Nos. 3 to 6.

Court's answer

In course of argument, it came to light that the land oustee certificate (Annexure-1) was issued by the Special Land Acquisition Officer, MCL, Angul in favour of the Petitioners in respect of Hingula Area, MCL, Talcher.

Ratio / Principle

Since learned counsel for the Petitioners had no instruction as to whether any award was passed in favour of the Petitioners for acquisition of their land for Bharatpur OCP, and he prayed for withdrawal to file a fresh writ petition with better particulars (to which the Additional Standing Counsel raised no objection), the Court disposed of the writ petition as withdrawn with liberty to file a fresh one with better particulars within a period of one month.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Orissa High Court (K.R. Mohapatra and Savitri Ratho, JJ.) - W.P.(C). No. 15332 of 2025, Order No. 01 dated 03.07.2025 - Two petitioners, claiming to be land oustees, sought employment benefit from Mahanadi Coal Field Limited authorities (Opposite Party Nos. 3 to 6) for acquisition of their land for the Bharatpur Open Caste Project (OCP). In course of argument it emerged that the land oustee certificate (Annexure-1) issued by the Special Land Acquisition Officer, MCL, Angul pertained to Hingula Area, MCL, Talcher, and learned counsel for the Petitioners had no instruction as to whether any award was passed for acquisition of their land for Bharatpur OCP. On counsel's prayer, unopposed by the Additional Standing Counsel, the writ petition was disposed of as withdrawn, with liberty to file a fresh petition with better particulars within one month. No statute or precedent was cited and no substantive issue was decided.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK W.P.(C). NO. 15332 OF 2025

1. Suraj Kumar Sahoo

2. Jaleswar Sahoo

…. Petitioners

Mr. Kousik Ananda Guru, Advocate

-versus-

1. State of Odisha

2. Collector, Angul

3. The Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Mahanadi Coal Field, Sambalpur

4. Rehabilitation Advisory Committee, Sambalpur

5. The General Manager, Jagannath Area, Angul

6. Special Land Acquisition Officer, MCL, Angul

…. Opp. Parties

Mr. Siba Narayan Biswal, A.S.C.

CORAM:

JUSTICE K.R. MOHAPATRA JUSTICE SAVITRI RATHO

ORDER

Order No.

03.07.2025

1. This matter is taken up through hybrid mode.

The Petitioners, in this writ application, are aggrieved by the inaction of the Authorities under Mahanadi Coal Field Limited (MCL), more particularly, Opposite Party Nos.3 to 6 in not extending the benefit of employment for acquisition of land of the Petitioners for Bharatpur Open Caste Project (OCP).

In course of argument, it came to light that the land oustee certificate (Annexure-1) was issued by the Special Land

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Acquisition Officer, MCL, Angul in favour of the Petitioners in respect of Hingula Area, MCL, Talcher.

Mr.Guru, learned counsel for the Petitioners also submits that he has no instruction as to whether any award was passed in favour of the Petitioners for acquisition of their land for Bharatpur OCP. In view of the above, he prays for withdrawal of the writ petition to file a fresh one with better particulars.

Mr. Biswal, learned Additional Standing Counsel does not have any objection to the same.

In view of the above, the writ petition is disposed of as withdrawn with liberty to file a fresh one with better particulars within a period of one month from today.

(K.R. Mohapatra) Judge

Subhalaxmi

(Savitri Ratho) Judge

Signature Not Verified

Digitally Signed Signed by: SUBHALAXMI PRIYADARSHANI SAHOO Reason: Authentication Location: Orissa High Court, Cuttack Date: 08-Jul-2025 11:03:13

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