CHHOTA SINGH Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This order disposes of C.M. No. 100 of 1992 in L.P.A. No. 1122 of 1987, C.M. No. 101 of 1992 in L.P.A. No. 1129 of 1987 and C.M. No. 275 of 1992 in L.P.A. No. 1220 of 1987.

(2.) Land measuring 733.725 acres was acquired for a public purpose, viz. for raising of local Cantonment at Bathinda. Notification under S. 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short, the Act) was issued on 30/05/1979 and it was followed by a declaration under S. 6 of the Act dated 27/08/1983. The Special Land Acquisition, Collector awarded compensation for different categories of land vide award dated 31/03/1984. The landowners dissatisfied with the award of the Special Land Acquisition Collector got the references made to the Land Acquisition Court under S. 18 of the. Act. The land Acquisition Court enhanced the compensation. The landowners still dissatisfied with the award of the Land Acquisition Court moved this Court in first appeals and the judgements of the learned single Judge in the first appeals were challenged in the Letters Patent appeals and those Letters Patent appeals were disposed of by a Division Bench of this Court by judgement dated 30/01/1989 and the compensation was enhanced.

(3.) These applications purporting to be under S. 149 read with S. 151 of the Civil P.C. for making up deficiency in Court-fee were filed in this Court on 14/07/1991. It is stated in C.M. No. 100 of 1992 in L.P.A. No. 1122 of 1987 that the appellants-applicants had claimed compensation @ Rs. 1.50 lacs per acre but affixed the Court-fee at a lesser amount. The delay in filing the application is unintentional and that they may be allowed to make up the deficiency in Court-fee. Indisputably, this Court had enhanced the compensation for the land acquired as under :-