India, Aug. 7 -- The Punjab and Haryana High Court has put a four-week stay on the implementation of the Punjab government's Land Pooling Policy, 2025. The decision was passed by a division bench while hearing multiple petitions challenging the legal, social, and environmental basis of the policy.

The petitioners, including farmers and activists, have argued that the policy violates the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. They claimed the state notified fertile land without carrying out any mandatory social or environmental impact assessments, and without safeguarding the rights of landless labourers who also depend on the land for livelihood.

During the hearing, th...