Srinagar, Feb. 27 -- Holding that a citizen cannot be penalised for lapses committed by a public authority, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has ruled in favour of an auction purchaser who waited for over a decade to secure possession of land auctioned by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA), while imposing costs of Rs.50,000 on the Authority for misleading the court and causing prolonged delay.

Allowing a writ petition filed by Changa Ram, a resident of Parwah in Jammu district, Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal observed that the JDA had proceeded with the auction despite the land being under encroachment, thereby subjecting the successful bidder to prolonged litigation and financial hardship.

Ram had participated in a public auc...