3 Things A land gifted to Yusuf Pathan, France protests, and MLC elections
Oct 29, 2026
Aditi Raja, a civic affairs journalist, examines Gujarat’s proposed land allotment to former cricketer Yusuf Pathan and the legal questions around gifting public land. Economics journalist Udit Misra explores France’s protests, youth unemployment, living costs and strained public services, with comparisons to India. Plus, BJP-led gains and Congress’s setback in Legislative Council elections across four states.
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Yusuf Pathan Land Deal Raises Public Asset Questions
- Vadodara proposed transferring 978 square metres beside Yusuf Pathan’s bungalow, gifting 500 square metres and discounting the rest to 55% of market value.
- The case concerns disposal of a valuable municipal asset, not merely a private land dispute.
A Rejected Land Request Returned A Decade Later
- Gujarat rejected Pathan’s 99-year lease request in 2014 because public land normally required auctioning.
- After he became an MP and received an encroachment notice, the government revived the proposal without a fresh request and changed its terms.
Gujarat Rules Do Not Clearly Permit The Gift
- Gujarat’s cited 2002 regulations permit sale, lease and development rights, but do not expressly authorise gifting land to an individual sports personality.
- The proposal’s legality therefore depends on identifying statutory authority and recorded reasons.