In yet another setback to Mayawati government, the Allahabad high court today quashed acquisition of nearly 600 hectares of land in two villages in Greater Noida.

Acting on a batch of petitions by farmers, a division bench comprising justice Sunil Ambawani and justice S S Tiwari set aside the acquisition of 589.13 hectares of land in Patwari and Dewla villages, falling under Dadri tehsil of Gautambuddh Nagar district.

The land was acquired by the state government through notifications in March 2008 and May 2008 for building residential complexes in Greater Noida area neighbouring Delhi.

The order came barely a fortnight after the supreme court had struck down acquisition of 156 hectares of land by the state government in village Shahberi in the area, saying the authorities were "subserving" private builders in the name of public interest.

The apex court had on July 6 upheld the Allahabad high court order which had quashed the land acquisition by the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority under the urgency clause of the Land Acquisition Act and directed that the property be returned to the farmers.

The Authority and builders had moved the apex court challenging the high court decision.