N RAMANA Vs. COLLECTOR WEST GODAVRI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This batch of writ petitions have been posted before us for hearing as the writ petitions raise for determination substantially the same questions. Therefore all the counsel appearing for the various petitioners have not advanced separate arguments before us. Only some counsel had argued the several aspects and the other counsel had adopted the arguments addressed by them. Our suggestion that such common questions of law as arise in the various writ petitions be argued was accepted. Accordingly depending upon the answers given by us to the various questions raised and argued, we will dispose of the writ petitions of the facts of each case later. Sri D. Venkata Reddy appearing for the Government had replied to the various points raised by different counsel for the petitioners.

(2.) What gave raise to these writ petitions was the issuance of several notifications under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act and the dispensing with Section 5-A enquiry as a result of urgency. The acquisitions under the various notifications were all for the purpose of providing sites to the poor, viz, Harijans by acquiring the land compulsorily by virtue of the power vested in the Government under the Land Acquisition Act or by the Collectors under Andhra Pradesh Land Acquisition Amendment Act XXII of 1976.

(3.) The various contentions raised revolve round Section 4, Section 5-A, Section 6 and Section 17 of the Land Acquisition Act and also Section 3-A of the Andhra Pradesh Act XXII of 1976 which amended the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.