THINKHOLET Vs. COLLECTOR OF LAND ACQUISITION

JUDGEMENT

(1.) BY this writ petition, the petitioners (six in numbers) are praying for a writ in the nature of mandamus for compelling the respondents to pay interest on Rs. 2,01,795/- (award) for the period from 1. 8. 1991 to 31. 8. 2000 under proviso to Section 34 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and/or any other relevant provisions of law.

(2.) HEARD Mr. A. Bimol, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners and also Mr. N. Ibotombi, learned CGSC appearing for the respondents.

(3.) THE admitted facts are that the writ petitioners are the owners of the lands that had been acquired by the Government of Manipur for construction of State Highway named Churachandpur-Tipaimukh Road. In August 1970, the Officers and other personnel of 81 Road Construction Company of G. R. E. F, Government of India took possession of the petitioners' lands without paying any compensation to them for construction of the said road. On 21. 5. 1984 the petitioners approached this Court by filing writ petitions i. e. C. R. Nos. 125 of 1984 to 130 of 1984 for compelling the concerned authority to perform their public duty and pay the necessary compensation with interest thereon to the petitioners. This Court, by a common judgment and order dated 8. 9. 1987 passed in the said C. R. Nos. 125 of 1984 to 130 of 1984, directed the authorities concerned to complete the land acquisition proceedings, assess the compensation and pay the amount of compensation to the petitioners in accordance with the provisions laid down in the Land Acquisition Act. It is stated that as the authorities had failed to carry out the direction of this court in the said judgment and order dated 8. 9. 1987, the petitioner No. 1 on behalf of the other petitioners filed a petition dated 11. 5. 1990 for initiating proceeding for contempt against the concerned authorities for wilful disobedience of the direction of this Court in the common judgment and order dated 8. 9. 1987. This Court again passed an order on 31. 5. 1990 directing the concerned officers and authorities to complete the land acquisition proceedings and award compensation in favour of the petitioners for the acquired lands within a period of three months.