and if so, would it impair the planned development of the area under acquisition; and (v) whether the State was competent to release the land in purported exercise of its powers under Section 48 of the 1894 Act when the matter was sub judice before this Court. 2743. None of these issues have been discussed, considered, or analyzed. The decision regarding release of the Respondents’ land is, therefore, manifestly arbitrary. While the State Government undoubtedly possesses the power to release the land for lawful considerations, it cannot do so whimsically, irrationally, without any application of mind, or selectively. Condoning such action would encourage further monocratic release of other lands in complete disregard of the consequences and impact on public interest. This would likely result in the creation of small islands of unacquired lands within large swathes of acquired land. These private enclaves would undoubtedly upset the effectiveness of the rest of the acquisition—making