SC stops Mamata in her tracks to Singur, but for how long?

She may not be six months into the post of the chief minister, but is already facing the toughest legal test of her career. The charismatic West Bengal CM, Mamata Banerjee, may be pushing ahead to keep her poll promise, but the Tatas seem to have some other plans. [caption id=“attachment_33442” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The apex court has asked the West Bengal government to stop from returning land at Singur - originally leased to the Tatas - to farmers, at least for now. Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters”] [/caption] In what is seen as a temporary relief for the salt-to-software conglomerate, the Supreme Court has asked the West Bengal government not to go ahead with the process of returning land at Singur - originally leased to the Tatas - to farmers, at least for now. The Tatas had moved the Supreme Court after facing a series of setbacks at the Calcutta High Court. While the Supreme Court has not commented on the case, it has directed the Calcutta High Court to decide on the matter in a month. While the government will continue making land measurements, the ownership will still remain with Tata Motors.  Challenging the Singur Act, the Tatas had earlier said: “We have been dispossessed without due process of law and we have challenged the provision of the Act which says that they can come in and take possession forthwith.” The tug-of-war started when Mamata got the legislative house to pass a Bill allowing her to reclaim 600 acres leased to the Tatas for their Nano factory. She had promised in her election campaign that this land would be returned to “unwilling farmers”. It has been reported that these farmers had been forced into submission by the Left government that was in power before Banerjee to give up their land for Tata Motors. They had refused to accept compensation. The Tatas have challenged the Singur Act in the Calcutta High Court.