India, May 31 -- The Government is legally empowered to take over properties, companies, assets and the management of organisations, but with a caveat: it must be done for the public good and in a democratic manner. The legitimacy of such actions depends strictly on necessity, transparency, fair compensation and public accountability, free from any hidden motive. The Delhi Gymkhana is a case in point

"Land dispute" is perhaps the most casually used phrase in India's administrative vocabulary. It appears in police station diaries, revenue court files, district reviews and civil litigation with remarkable frequency. Yet, despite its widespread use, the expression conceals more than it explains. Almost every kind of land-related conflict - ...