That the interests of builders prevail over that of the common man is more than evident in the recent stay on construction ordered by the Supreme Court in DLF’s prestigious housing colony in Pinjore. In September 2009, the Haryana Urban Estates department which also comes under the Director General of Town and Coutry Planning, issued a notification for acquisition of 809.74 acres of land for 31 new sectors that the state Urban Development Authority intended to develop on both sides of national highway 22 between Kalka and Pinjore. However, by the time the award was announced, the intended acquisition was reduced to just 372.388 acres and even after passing the award, another 72.3 acres was released from acquisition. DLF and Ireo two major realtors who benefited from the exemption, are now developing colonies on 450 acres of the released land. The SC while ordering a stay on construction observed, “This gives the impression that in the guise of acquiring land for public purpose ie development of new sectors, the government misused the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act 1894 for the benefit of private companies and builders.” The SC is inclined to quash the entire acquisition and has given an opportunity to the builders to give their defence. What exactly has happened here? Explaining the process, a property dealer in the areas told Outlook, “If the realtors had entered the area to buy land from farmers, they would have had to pay the much higher market rate. But since the government announced acquisition proceedings, rates in the area fell and the builders were able to pick up their requirement at a marginally higher rate than the government notified rates.” The losers are thousands of ordinary people looking for cheap plots and flats in the government’s originally proposed sectors, which have been whittled down to half. The government used its discretion to favour the builders once again.