L. C. BEICHO Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Mr. Lalchhanliana Khiangte, learned counsel for the petitioners. Having regard to the nature of the case projected by the petitioners, the writ petition is taken up for disposal at the motion stage.

(2.) It is the case of the petitioners that they are allottees of their respective lands by the competent authority under the Mara Autonomous District Council and they have been developing their respective lands by planting various crops and fruit bearing trees and at the same time, they have been paying their respective taxes for their lands to the Land Revenue & Settlement Department of the Mara Autonomous District Council on regular basis. The details of their respective land passes may be reproduced below in the form of a chart:

(3.) According to the petitioners, since the year 2008, the respondents constructed "Tuipang-Siatlai-Zawngling-Khawpai-Laki Village Road" which is popularly known as TLL road over their lands without obtaining prior consent and permission from them and without paying any compensation to them. Being ignorant villagers having no knowledge or capability to approach the authorities for redressal of their grievances, they have been compelled to suffer tremendous hardship. Of late, the petitioners have come to learn that some of the land owners whose lands were also affected by the construction of the TLL road have approached this Court by filing WP(C) No. 33/2019 and WP(C) No. 34/2019 claiming compensation for the destruction of their lands. The writ petitions were disposed of vide common Judgment & Order dated 14.03.2019 by constituting a Verification Team to verify the lands of the petitioners and to pay adequate compensation as per the relevant land law applicable and on the basis of the findings of the Verification Team. Another writ petition i.e. WP(C) No. 47/2019 was also disposed of in terms of the common Judgment & Order dated 14.03.2019.