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

Over the past ten years, defence establishments have removed more than 2,000 acres from illegal encroachments, yet over 10,800 acres of defence land still remains unlawfully occupied, according to a committee's examination of land encroachments across the nation. The Independent Committee on Defence Land Management found that defence services and stakeholders reclaimed 2,242 acres between January 1, 2015, and July 2025. The report urges a time-bound strategy to ensure defence land is recovered promptly.

The committee presented its report to the Supreme Court on September 10 in response to a public interest lawsuit dealing with defence land encroachments. Filed by the non-profit organization Common Cause, the petition called on the court to address the issue strictly, a concern highlighted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in previous reports.

To tackle the problem comprehensively, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) established the Independent Committee on July 14, 2025, to investigate all aspects and provide recommendations. The panel, headed by CJI Surya Kant, is set to be heard by the court on September 15.

The four-member committee, led by Principal Integrated Financial Advisor to the Navy Dhananjay Kumar, revealed that the Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE) holds the largest share of encroached land, accounting for about 4,299 acres. The Indian Army controls 4,153 acres, the Air Force manages 1,739 acres, and the Navy oversees 546 acres.

The committee noted the significant gaps in clearing encroachments, as defence establishments reported that removing encroachments on lands outside cantonments requires coordination with state authorities, local civic, and police agencies. They observed that DEOs encounter operational impediments in implementing eviction proceedings, citing the variable level of support from local civil authorities and law enforcement agencies.

The committee recommended the development of a comprehensive and effective mechanism for recovering land encroached upon by private individuals between the Government of India and the concerned states within a suitable timeframe. The committee observed that the highest number of encroachments occurred in four states—Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Maharashtra—collectively accounting for over 5,800 acres, which constitutes nearly 50% of the total encroached defence land.

In December 2025, the Centre supplied the latest figures to Parliament, which corresponded to the same figure for combined encroachment in the four states, totaling nearly 5,900 acres. The committee emphasized the need for a time-bound and targeted focus on encroached land in these states to facilitate the bulk recovery of encroached land.