Case: Zenit Mataplast P. Ltd Vs. State of Maharashtra &amp; Others

3. The facts and circumstances giving rise to this case are that appellant, a Private Ltd. Company, incorporated under the provisions of Companies Act 1956, is indulged in manufacturing of press components, moulded components, soft luggage, moulded luggage and other travel goods, tools, moulds jigs, dies fixtures and other engineering goods and carrying its business on a land measuring 4050 sq. meters on plot no.F-18 in the Satpur industrial Estate, Nasik. The appellant submitted an application dated 30.11.2005 (Annexure P-3) for allotment of 8000 sq. yards land from the adjacent vacant land on a prescribed form complying with other requirements. The said application was rejected by the respondent no.2, the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (hereinafter referred to as `Corporation), a Maharashtra Government Undertaking constituted under the provisions of Maharashtra Industrial Development Act, 1961 (for short 1961 Act). In fact, the Corporation has powers and duties to make allotment of land for industrial purposes. It appears that vide letter dated 14.3.2005 to the Honble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, the respondent no.4, M/s. Mahendra & Mahendra Ltd., a leading industrial Company, asked for providing pending dues of incentives which were extended to it earlier. In the said letter it was also pointed out that the respondent no.4 has entered into a collaboration with automobile company Renault and intended to set up a joint venture for manufacturing of car, "The Logan" into India and the said respondent was locating the project at Nasik (Maharashtra) or Zahirabad (Andhra Pradesh) or at any other new place in Uttranchal. In the said letter, a demand for land measuring 5 to 8 acres for parking facilities at Satpur Industrial Estate, Nasik and 3 to 4 acres parking plot outside the existing factory gate at Nasik was also included. The Government of Maharashtra vide letter dated 10.6.2005 promised that the respondent no. 2 - Corporation would provide maximum possible vacant land in the existing area at the applicable rates and the Corporation would further facilitate acquisition of additional land identified by the Corporation for its project as well as for locating the cluster of industrial units (Annexure R.4/R.5). The Government of Maharashtra accorded the status of "Mega Project" to the forthcoming project of respondent no. 4 known as `Logan Car Project at Nasik vide letter dated 11.11.2005 (Annexure R.4/R.6). Respondent no. 4 submitted an informal application dated 23.11.2005 to the Respondent No. 2 to make the allotment of designated Open Space, Plot Nos. 8 and 9, in its favour. The user of land was changed from open space to Industrial Area vide resolution dated 10.2.2006 and plot was renumbered as 126, instead of Open Space No.9, by the respondent-corporation. The formal application was submitted for that purpose by the respondent no. 4 on 1.3.2006 to the respondent no. 2 (Annexure R.4/R.9). Respondent No. 2, vide letter dated 27.3.2006 (Annexure R.4/R.10), allotted the land measuring 17 acres in favour of the respondent no. 4 for a total premium of 7,51,14,600/- after changing the user of the land from vacant space to industrial. On the same date, namely, 27.3.2006, the respondent no. 4 was put in possession of the said land and an agreement for licence/lease was executed between respondent no. 2 and respondent no. 4 on 3.7.2006. A part of open space was also converted as a "parking space" and it was allotted in favour of respondent no.5 for parking of vehicles.4. The appellant made various representations to the Respondent No. 2, Corporation particularly, dated 15.3.2006, 3.4.2006, 25.8.2006, 3.10.2006 and 10.10.2006, pointing out that rejection of its application and allotment of huge area of land in favour of respondent Nos .4 and 5 was discriminatory and violative of laws and particularly the statutory requirement which provided for allotment of land to the neighbouring unit holders. The appellant asked that it may be allotted some part of the remaining land from the designated vacant land whose land user has been converted from open space to industrial Area. As no order was passed on its representations, the appellant filed the writ petition in October 2006 before the High Court. However, the Court admitted the writ petition, expedited the hearing of the writ petition but rejected the application for interim relief. Hence, this

Court's reasoning:
32. Thus, the law on the issue emerges to the effect that interim injunction should be granted by the Court after considering all the pros and cons of the case in a given set of facts involved therein on the risk and responsibility of the party or, in case he looses the case, he cannot take any advantage of the same. The order can be passed on settled principles taking into account the three basic grounds i.e. prima facie case, balance of convenience and irreparable loss. The delay in approaching the Court is of course a good ground for refusal of interim relief, but in exceptional circumstances, where the case of a party is based on fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution and there is an apprehension that suit property may be developed in a manner that it acquires irretrievable situation, the Court may grant relief even at a belated stage provided the court is satisfied that the applicant has not been negligent in pursuing the case.33. Anything done in undue haste can also be termed as arbitrary and cannot be condoned in law. (Vide Madhya Pradesh Hasta Shilpa Vikas Nigam Ltd. V. Devendra Kumar Jain & Ors. (1995) 1 SCC 638 ; and Bahadursinh Lakhubhai Gohil Vs. Jagdishbhai M. Kamalia & Ors. AIR 2004 SC 1159).34. If the instant case is considered, in the light of the above settled legal propositions and admittedly the whole case of the appellant is based on violation of Article 14 of the Constitution as according to the appellant it has been a case of violation of equality clause enshrined in Article 14, the facts mentioned hereinabove clearly establish that the Corporation and the Government proceeded in haste while considering the application of respondent No.4 which tantamount to arbitrariness, thus violative of the mandate of Article 14 of the Constitution. Application of the appellant was required to be disposed of by a speaking and reasoned order. Admittedly, no reason was assigned for rejecting the same. There is nothing on record to show as on what date and under what circumstances, Plot17 stood decarved and became part of the Open Space No.9. The respondents could not furnish any explanation as in what manner and under what circumstances, the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. has been made allotment of land from plot(a part of Open Space No.9), without change of user of the land. The respondent no.4 had not initially asked for 17 acres of land which has been allotted to it. There is nothing on record to show as to why the land could not be disposed of by auction. All these circumstances provide for basis to form a tentative opinion that State and its instrumentalities have acted affectionately in the case of respondent no.4.35. Undoubtedly, there has been a delay on the part of the appellant in approaching the court but we cannot be oblivious of the fact that the appellant had been approaching the authorities time and again for allotment of the land. Admittedly, the entire land had not been developed by the respondent no.4 till this Court entertained the Special Leave Petition and directed the parties to maintain status quo with regard to the land measuring 2 acres adjacent to the appellants plotvide order dated 21.7.2008. Therefore, it is not only the appellant who is to be blamed for the delay. The land had been allotted to the respondent no.4 in undue haste and no development could take place therein for more than two years of taking the possession of the land. In such athe submission made on behalf of the respondents that interim stay cannot be granted at a belated stage in preposterous.