RAYALA VENKATARATNAM Vs. STATE OF AP

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ petition is filed seeking a declaration that the action of the respondents in having declined to pay the interest on additional market value and solatium as provided under Section 23 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 to the petitioners as arbitrary and illegal.

(2.) The facts, which are not in dispute, are as under:

(3.) A Division Bench of this Court by judgment dated 13.2.2001 while enhancing the compensation from Rs. 11,000/- to Rs. 20,000/- per acre, held that the claimants were entitled to all other statutory benefits. Against the said judgment, though the Government preferred S.L.P. No. 2091 of 2002, the same was dismissed by the Supreme Court on 20.09.2002. Thereafter a sum of Rs. 16,22,419/- was sanctioned by the 1st respondent towards part payment of the compensation payable to the petitioners. So far as the balance is concerned, the proposals submitted by the 2nd respondent were not accepted by the 1st respondent vide Memo dated 22.1.2010 on the ground that it was held by the Civil Court in O.P. No. 14 of 1991 that the petitioners were not entitled for interest on 12% additional market value and solatium. Aggrieved by the said action, the present writ petition has been filed.