Supreme Court orders Tamil Nadu to pay market rate for land or

Supreme Court ordered Tamil Nadu to either return 970 acres of land acquired in 2009-10 for industries or pay compensation at market rate as of January 1, 2014.

State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) offered Rs 21 crore, but market-rate compensation would exceed Rs 180 crore.

The court ruled landowners should not suffer due to government inaction and gave the state six weeks to comply.

The order significantly strains Tamil Nadu's already fiscally troubled finances.