Law Imposes Stricter Liability on Vehicle Owner Than Land Owner in Cases of Illegal Reclamation of Paddy Land: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has voiced serious reservations regarding the severe penalties faced by vehicle owners compared to landowners under the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008, in cases of unauthorized paddy land reclamation. A Division Bench comprising Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque and Justice Harisanka V. Menon observed that the law appears "quite harsh" on the owners of vehicles like JCB excavators, while the landowner who engaged…