The ambitious but controversial Mumbai SEZ project, promoted by Mukesh Ambani and his close aide Anand Jain is facing rough weather yet again with reports even suggesting that the massive plan could even be scrapped. The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday dismissed Mumbai SEZ's plea for staying the land acquisition process for the project in Raigad,  Maharashtra . The apex court declined to grant an ex-parte stay on the process, which ends on June 8.

A bench headed by Justice B Sudarshan Reddy dismissed the plea of Mumbai SEZ, challenging the Bombay High Court interim order that refused to stay the process of land acquisition. Mumbai SEZ had sought a stay on land acquisition as it is yet to buy all the land for the project. As against 10,000 hectares, Mumbai SEZ has acquired only about 2,000 hectares.

Earlier, senior counsel Shanti Bhushan, appearing for the Mumbai SEZ, sought the stay on the land acquisition proceedings initiated by notifications under Sections 4 and 6 of and Acquisition Act of 1894 on the grounds that if the acquisition is not completed by June 8, the entire process would lapse. A stay would have nullified the whole land acquisition process, and would have automatically given an extension to Mumbai SEZ.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Maharashtra Government on another plea of Mumbai SEZ seeking transfer of its petition pending before the Bombay High Court.