An analysis of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and its interpretation by the courts shows that the holder or tenant of the land has suffered in major ways. It gives the government complete power to acquire land for any “public purpose” while the courts have virtually adopted a handsoff attitude and allowed all kinds of land acquisitions for private companies. The proposed Land Acquisition Amendment Bill makes it much easier for the government to acquire land for any private company, is nonparticipatory in nature and has escape clauses as far as giving jobs to the displaced or the provision of “land for land” is concerned. The rehabilitation and resettlement bills which are also on the anvil may provide solace to the displaced but history has shown that such schemes do not work.