Section 12: Power of Central Government to acquire land

(1) Where on any representation from the competent authority it appears to the Central Government that, in order to enable the authority to execute any work of improvement in relation to any building in a slum area or to re-develop any clearance area, it is necessary that land within, adjoining or surrounded by any such area should be acquired, the Central Government may acquire the land by publishing in the Official Gazette a notice to the effect that the Central Government has decided to acquire the land in pursuance of this section: Provided that, before publishing such notice, the Central Government may call upon the owner of, or any other person who, in the opinion of the Central Government, may be interested in, such land to show cause why it should not be acquired; and after considering the cause, if any, shown by the owner or any other person interested in the land, the Central Government may pass such order as it deems fit. (2) When a notice as aforesaid is published in the Official Gazette, the land shall, on and from the date on which the notice is so published, vest absolutely in the Central Government free from all encumbrances.