UNION OF INDIA Vs. MANJIT SINGH AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This order shall decide a bunch of 47 Revision Petitions bearing Nos.4345, 4526, 4903, 4905 to 4909, 4934, 5240, 5244, 5267, 5270 to 5275, 5288, 5292 to 5294, 5304, 5439 to 5447, 5613 to 5621, 5910 to 5912 and 6052, 7024 and 7025 of 2014 in which the same order passed by the Executing Court is under challenge. However, for the sake of convenience, the facts are being extracted from CR No.4345 of 2014 titled as Union of India Vs. Manjeet Singh and others.

(2.) Basically, the petitioner is aggrieved against part of the impugned order whereby they have been directed to deposit the amount of statutory interest on solatium and 12% on market value within a period of three months.

(3.) In brief, vide notification issued under Sec. 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short 'the Act') dated 11.7.1977, land measuring 11513 Kanals of village Kathania, Had Bast No.356 was proposed for acquisition, followed by a declaration issued under Sec. 6 of the Act on 19.7.1980, for public purpose, namely, for 'Defence of India'. The Land Acquisition Collector (for short 'the Collector') announced the award on 20.5.1982 and also rendered a supplementary award on 2.9.1986, after coming into force of the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act, 1984 and awarded interest as per the Amended Act. The land owners were not satisfied with the award of the Collector and filed Objections under Sec. 18 of the Act to the Collector, who referred them to the Civil Court where the market value of the acquired land was reassessed 18150.00 per acre alongwith solatium and interest as provided in Sections 23(1-A) and 23(2) of the Act.