https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Defence Land Under Siege: SC Told 2,024 Acres Illegally Occupied, Centre Initiates Eviction Drive

Centre tells SC that 2,024 acres of defence land have been encroached upon; eviction process underway with digital tracking tools.
Indian Masterminds Stories

New Delhi: In a significant revelation before the Supreme Court, the Central Government has reported that 2,024 acres of defence land have been illegally encroached upon by individuals across the country. The update came through an affidavit filed by the Ministry of Defence, as part of an ongoing Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in 2014 by NGO Common Cause.

The affidavit underscores a broader concern over the misuse of defence land, particularly by individuals and former agricultural lessees who continued occupation even after lease expiry. The total land under the Defence Estates Organisation (DEO) stands at 75,629 acres—52,899 acres within cantonments and 22,730 acres outside them.

Defence Land Faces Rampant Misuse

Out of the total area, the Centre stated that 1,575 acres remain occupied by former lessees without any legal entitlement. In addition, around 819 acres are currently used by central and state government departments for public-utility services such as schools, roads, bus stands, and parks.

Representing the government, Attorney General R. Venkataramani and Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi—that active steps are underway to recover these illegally held parcels.

The Defence Ministry has already reclaimed 1,715 acres over the past ten years, with 220 acres recovered in the current year alone—an outcome of advanced digital tracking systems and greater administrative coordination.

Also Read: SC Collegium Clears 14 Judicial Appointments, Reappointments Across 4 High Courts – All Details Inside

Tech-Led Evictions and Structural Challenges

In a notable move, the Ministry introduced an Encroachment Module under a real-time Digital Record Management System developed by the Directorate General of Defence Estates (DGDE). A new committee has also been constituted to monitor the eviction process and coordinate recovery efforts.

Other key measures include:

  • Fencing and building boundary walls on sensitive plots
  • Negotiations with state governments for land exchange deals
  • Enhanced survey and mapping with technological tools

Despite these advances, the Centre acknowledged several persistent roadblocks. These include delays caused by judicial stay orders, lack of police and magistrate presence during eviction drives, and procedural bottlenecks in ground-level implementation.

Supreme Court Flags Larger Concern

The Supreme Court, which has been closely monitoring the issue, expressed alarm over irregular allotments of defence land to private parties in earlier hearings. The court even hinted at forming a probe committee to investigate alleged collusion between land mafias and defence estate officials—some of whom reportedly enabled the construction of lavish bungalows and commercial complexes inside cantonment zones.

The apex court has now granted the Centre two months to file a fresh status report detailing the functioning of the newly constituted eviction committee and progress on recovery actions.

Also Read: No Room for Informality: SC Calls Out Social Ties Between Judges and Lawyers, Eyes Reform


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
CBDT-1024x576
3 Senior IRS Officers Elevated to PCCIT Grade in CBDT for 2025 Panel Year
medha-rupam-imgs
New Noida DM Medha Roopam Vows to Fast-Track Jewar International Airport Completion - Here Are Her Top Priorities
manoj and goyal
IAS Manoj Kumar Singh Bids Emotional Farewell as SP Goyal Assumes Charge as UP Chief Secretary
Madhya Pradesh Cabinet decisions
Boost for Madhya Pradesh & Jyotirlinga Yatra: Central Cabinet Approves Itarsi-Nagpur Fourth Rail Line Project - Details Inside
Nashik-Kumbh-Mela-
Kumbh 2027: Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Directs Officials to Submit Comprehensive Action Plan by August-End
NTPC
NTPC Executive Directors Sudip Nag & Rajeev Akotkar Retire After Decades of Service - Details Inside 
DPIIT
DPIIT Signs MoU with HDFC Capital Advisors to Boost Innovation in Affordable Housing and PropTech
Engineers India Limited EIL Engineers India Ltd (EIL)
Asheesh Sengupta Superannuates as Executive Director (Supply & Chain Management), Engineers India Ltd (EIL)
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi’s Take on Corruption, Reform, and Duty
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
What Most Indians Don't Know About Jim Corbett
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-24 at 18.24
How Fireflies and Butterflies Returned In Corbett’s Homeland
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
BPSC Bihar police
From Lantern Light to Police Uniform: How Praveen Kumar from a Small Bihar Village Cracked BPSC to Become SDPO
From a lantern-lit village in Bihar to becoming an SDPO, Praveen Kumar's journey is a testament to resilience,...
IAS Priyansha Garg
Why Mindset Matters: IAS Priyansha Garg’s Mental Health Mantra for UPSC
After two failed prelims, Priyansha Garg cracked UPSC with AIR 31 in her fourth attempt, proving how...
Ashish Akshat
From Setback to State Topper: How Ashish Akshat Topped JPSC While Working Full-Time
Ashish Akshat from Dhanbad topped JPSC 2023, proving that resilience, discipline, and family support...
Social Media
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve: From India’s First Sanctuary to a Tiger Conservation Success Story | International Tiger Day Special
IAS Supriya Sahu Hails Mudumalai's Role in Tiger Conservation on Tiger Day. Declared in 1940, Now Among...
Mangroves
Mangroves: Nature’s Shield Against Disasters, Says Officer Parveen Kaswan on Mangroves Day - Watch His Post Here
Mangroves, with their dense, interlaced root systems, form a mesh-like structure that serves as a buffer...
Retired IPS Inderjit Singh Sidhu
Purpose Doesn’t Retire: How 88-Year-Old Retired DIG Becomes Chandigarh’s ‘Quiet Warrior’ of Cleanliness
Inderjit Singh Sidhu’s Dawn Patrol Earns Applause, Mahindra’s Praise for a Man Who Chose Action Over...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
CBDT-1024x576
3 Senior IRS Officers Elevated to PCCIT Grade in CBDT for 2025 Panel Year
newsImage-1672644662501
Mastermind in the Mountains: Inside Prabodh Saxena’s Model of Governance
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-24 at 18.24
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT