A vacation bench comprising justices P Sathasivam an A K Patnaik in an interim order directed state government not to hand over or return land to farmers concerned until further order passed by the Calcutta High Court.

The bench also said it was making it clear that this was an “interim arrangement” and it was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the case.

Tata Motors had on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court challenging the West Bengal government of enacting the law in a haste to take over land in Singur allotted to it for its Nano car project and using police force illegally to take back possession of the plot.