# Supreme Court asks Tamil Nadu to spare SASTRA campus with land swap 2026-09-21T22:58:39+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Tamil Nadu government to consider accepting alternative land for its proposed open-air jail instead of evicting SASTRA University from 31.37 acres of government land in Thanjavur. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said the university's use of the land for education influenced the court, unlike a commercial encroachment. The state opposed the suggestion, arguing that SASTRA had progressively occupied government land despite litigation and that a land exchange could set a bad precedent. The court proposed that the state identify a suitable parcel and the university buy it, possibly at several times the market value as a deterrent. "If the market price comes to you, you buy the land of your choice," the CJI said. The state sought time to take instructions. The Madras High Court had in January upheld the eviction notice, saying acceptance of alternative land was at the government's discretion. The matter is adjourned for the next hearing. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Barandbench.com leads with the court's practical suggestion and the CJI's distinction between educational and commercial use, giving the state's objections equal space. Newindianexpress.com frames the state's position as 'strange and obstinate', foregrounding the court's push for a negotiated settlement. Neither outlet meaningfully examines the state's claim that the university increased its encroachment between 1985 and 2025, a detail that would inform the government's reluctance. The balanced reading is that the court is engineering a compromise, but the central legal question of whether encroachment can be rewarded remains unaddressed. The next hearing will clarify whether the state accepts the buy-land option. ## Coverage - barandbench.com (neutral report) Led with court proposing alternative land, gave state's objections equal weight - newindianexpress.com (government critical) Called state's stand 'strange', foregrounded court nudge toward compromise Tags: SASTRA University, Supreme Court, Tamil Nadu government, Thanjavur Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/supreme-court-asks-tamil-nadu-to-spare-sastra-campus-with-land-swap/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/supreme-court-asks-tamil-nadu-to-spare-sastra-campus-with-land-swap/#story-in-brief