Government of Punjab rescinds Land Pooling Policy following temporary suspension by High Court
The Punjab cabinet has officially approved the denotification and withdrawal of the Land Pooling Policy 2025 as of August 14, 2025. This decision effectively ends the contentious policy and reverses all actions taken under it.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court played a significant role in influencing the withdrawal. On August 7, 2025, the Court imposed an interim stay on the implementation of the policy due to concerns over its hasty notification without necessary Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The Court noted that the land in question consisted of fertile multi-cropped agricultural land and suggested that such acquisition might impact the social and environmental milieu adversely.
Following this judicial intervention and sustained farmer protests, the Punjab government on August 11, 2025, formally withdrew the Land Pooling Policy notified on May 14, 2025, along with all amendments. They announced the reversal of all policy-related actions as a result.
The policy was aimed at acquiring thousands of acres of land across districts in Punjab for urban development. It was argued to be voluntary in nature, aimed to boost urban development without the complications of compulsory land acquisition. The government was offering landowners developed residential and commercial plots in exchange for their land under the policy.
However, the policy faced criticism for being anti-farmer, as it offered an annual livelihood allowance of ₹50,000 per acre, considered meager for small and marginal farmers. It also lacked provisions for compensation at the time of acquisition, a legal framework defining any timelines, and a grievance redressal mechanism.
The stay order was passed by Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal and Justice Deepak Manchanda on a petition moved by a resident of Ludhiana. All actions, like Letters of Intent (LOIs) issued, registrations done, or any other action taken under the policy will be reversed henceforth.
Farmer groups and opposition parties had pressed for this official withdrawal to conclude the controversy. The withdrawal occurred days after the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the policy's implementation. The State argues that no Social Impact Assessment study is required at this stage under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
The latest status of the Land Pooling Policy 2025 in Punjab is that it has been officially withdrawn, bringing an end to the contentious policy and the actions taken under it. The withdrawal follows the Punjab and Haryana High Court's interim stay on the policy's implementation and the sustained farmer protests against it.
[1] Punjab withdraws Land Pooling Policy 2025, reverses all actions taken under it (The Tribune, August 14, 2025) [2] Punjab government withdraws Land Pooling Policy 2025 (NDTV, August 11, 2025) [3] Punjab Land Pooling Policy 2025: Farmers protest, High Court stays implementation (India Today, August 7, 2025) [4] Punjab Land Pooling Policy 2025: A case of hasty notification, lack of legal framework (The Indian Express, August 8, 2025)
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