Over 10k-acre defence land remains illegally occupied: Panel in Supreme Court

Defence establishments retrieved 2,242 acres between 2015 and July 2025, but coordination with state and local authorities remains a major hurdle.

Over the past decade, defence establishments freed more than 2,000 acres from encroachments, but over 10,800 acres still remain under illegal occupation according to a committee examining defence land encroachment across the country.

Data presented by the Independent Committee on Issues of Defence Land Management reveals that defence services and other stakeholders managed to retrieve 2,242 acres between January 1, 2015, and July 2025. The report further states that over 10,800 acres of defence land remain encroached and sought a comprehensive, time-bound mechanism to ensure valuable defence land is retrieved at the earliest.

Also read: 1.2 acres of defence land cleared of 15-year encroachment in Lullanagar

Panel submits defence land encroachment report to SC

The committee submitted its report to the Supreme Court, on September 10, in connection with a public interest litigation (PIL) on defence land encroachment in the country. The petition, filed by the non-profit organisation Common Cause urged the court to take a strict view of defence land encroachment, an issue highlighted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its past reports.

To holistically address the current problem, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) formed the Independent Committee on July 14, 2025 to examine all aspects and recommend suggestions. A bench headed by CJI Surya Kant is expected to take up the report on September 15.

Also read: Lullanagar defence land encroachment cleared after 15 years

DGDE accounts for largest share of encroached land

The four-member committee headed by the Principal Integrated Financial Advisor to the Navy Dhananjay Kumar stated that the maximum encroached land, about 4,299 acres, falls under the Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE), followed by land belonging to the Indian Army (4,153 acres), Air Force (1,739 acres), and Navy (546 acres) .

The committee, which also comprised CAG’s Director General (Audit) of Air Force Anadi Misra, Additional Legal Advisor in the Ministry of Law & Justice Jay Prakash Dubey and Director in the Department of Land Resources Sarvadanand Baranwal, observed serious gaps in the efforts to clear encroachments.

The defence establishments and services reported that since these lands fall outside cantonments, removing encroachment requires coordination and cooperation from state authorities, local civic and police agencies. The report said, “The Defence Estates Officers (DEO) face operational impediments in implementing eviction proceedings. One of the concerns is the variable level of support from local civil authorities and law enforcement agencies.”

Also read: Defence firm gets 1,500 acres in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar sans tender at low lease

Panel seeks Centre-state mechanism for land recovery

Addressing this concern, the committee recommended evolving a “comprehensive and effective mechanism for retrieval of land encroached upon by private individuals” between the Government of India and concerned states within a suitable time frame.

The committee noted that state-wise, encroachment figures were highest in four states – Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra—which alone account for over 5,800 acres, nearly 50% of the defence land encroachment. In December 2025, the Centre provided the latest figures to Parliament, corresponding to the same figure where the combined encroachment of defence land in the four states totals nearly 5,900 acres.

The committee said, “We are of the view that time-bound and targeted focus be made on the encroached land in these states so that bulk recovery of encroached land can be made.”