RANVIR SINGH Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Leave granted in the special leave petitions.

(2.) These appeals involving similar questions of fact and law were taken up for hearing together and are being disposed of by this common judgment.

(3.) The Union of India issued four notifications on or about 13.2.1981, 20. 2.1981, 13.3.1981 and 31.12.1981 under Section 4 (1) of the Land Acquisition Act (The Act) for acquisition of various blocks of land situated in village Rithala for construction of supplementary drain, sewage treatment plant, remodeling the Nagloi Drain and planned development of Delhi. In relation to the aforementioned acquisitions, four awards were passed being 4/85-86, 20/82- 83, 1/83-84 and 16/85-86. The Land Acquisition Officer in its awards in regard to acquisitions in terms of notifications dated 13.2.1981 and 20. 2.1981 sub-divided the acquired lands in two blocks and awarded compensation at the rate of Rs. 3800/- per bigha/ Rs. 3.77 per sq. yard for block A and rs. 2600/- per bigha/ Rs. 2.57 per sq. yard for block B. However, in regard to the acquisition in terms of notification dated 13.3.1981, compensation was awarded at the rate of Rs. 6500/- per bigha/ Rs. 6.45 per sq. yard whereas as regard the acquisition under notification dated 31.12.1981, compensation was awarded at the rate of rs. 10837/- per bigha / Rs. 10. 75 per sq. yard for block A, Rs. 9000/- per bigha/ Rs. 8.9 per sq. yard for block B and Rs. 7000/ - per bigha/ Rs. 6.9 per sq. yard for block C respectively. Reference having been made to the civil court at the instance of the claimants in terms of Section 18 of the Land acquisition Act, the Reference Court enhanced the amount of compensation in the following terms: