R. ASHWATH NARAYANA Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioners claiming to be the buyers of the subject land which has not been acquired are knocking at the doors of Writ Court seeking a direction to refer the dispute in LAC.CR/606 & 617/1988-99 to the Reference Court (under Ss. 30 & 31 of the Karnataka Land Acquisition Act) for adjudication of the rival claims for the payment of compensation.

(2.) Learned counsel appearing for the private respondents under whom the Petitioners seek to have brought the subject land are agreeable with prayer as made in the Writ petition. Learned counsel appearing for the beneficiary of acquisition says and this Court agrees that his client has no role to play in the dispute; so also is the submission of learned AGA appearing for the State and its official. In view of the above, the Writ Petition is disposed off directing the 2nd Respondent - SLAO to refer the cases in LAC.CR/606 & 617/1988-99 to the jurisdictional Reference Court within a period of three weeks, and the Reference Court shall adjudge the dispute preferably within an outer limit of six months & in accordance with law. All contentions in that regard are kept open. That apart, the SLAO shall also remit the compensation mount in terms of award and enhanced amount if any, to the said Court while sending the papers for Reference. The SLAO shall adopt the same procedure in respect of all other similar claims concerning the subject land without needlessly driving the claimants/rival claimants to Courts. No costs.