LATA RANI Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In pursuance of a notification published on 16th October, 1970 under section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act (for short, the Act), the respondent-State Government acquired 196 acres of land for setting up an urban estate at Bhatinda. This included 1,200 square yards of petitioner's land. While determining compensation payable for the land of the petitioner under the Act, the Land Acquisition Collector instead of awarding any cash compensation made an arrangement in terms of sub-section (3) and (4) of section 31 of the Act in the following terms :-

(2.) It is not a matter of dispute that in terms of the above-noted arrangement, the petitioner had made an application for the allotment of a plot in lieu of the acquired land and had also deposited. Rs. 2,500/- vide receipt No. 50, dated 1st February, 1972 towards the development charges of the plot to be allotted to her.

(3.) Later she was informed vide letter dated 7th December, 1972 (Annexure P.4) that in terms of the above-noted arrangement as incorporated in the award of the Collector itself she was going to be allotted a plot of 1,000 square yards in lieu of her acquired land. The operative part of this letter reads as follows :-