The Advocate-General of West Bengal, Mr Anindya Mitra, on Thursday said in the Calcutta High Court that the State would not oppose the filing of an amendment petition by Tata Motors challenging the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act 2011.
The main petition filed by the auto major on June 22 would be heard from 3 pm onwards on Friday, Justice Mr Soumitra Pal said here today. The amended petition by the company would be served to the State Government by Saturday (July 16).
“We are not going to oppose the application for amendment (by Tata Motors). But there are some objections to the facts in the amendment petition,” Mr Mitra said.
Tata Motors had on July 4 filed an amendment to its main petition stating that “certain facts and developments” could not be incorporated in its previous petition. The Calcutta High Court on July 7 directed the Bengal Government to file an affidavit in opposition to Tata Motors' prayer for amendment to its original petition.
Earlier, the auto-major's counsel, Mr Samaraditya Pal, had requested an adjournment of hearing till Monday (July 18) citing procedural formalities. According to Mr Pal, “a formal amendment needs to be made to the original petition” before hearing starts on it. However, the state panel of lawyers objected stating that, “Tata Motors was delaying court proceedings.”
Later, at the request of Justice Mr Pal, it was agreed that the main petition would be heard Friday onwards while the amended petition would be served to the State Government by Saturday.