ORDER

Delay Condoned.

2. This special leave petition arises from the judgment of the punjab & Haryana High Court made on April 25, 1996 in LPA No. 437/96. Notification under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 [for short, the Act"] was published on June 1, 1976. Declaration under Section 6 of the Act was published on February 16,1977. The award was passed on July 3, 1981. Thereafter, the reference also become final. The petitioner has challenged the notification, the declaration and the award as illegal, it contends that the award does not come in the way of the petitioner in filing the writ petition on January 21, 1994. The High Court has dismissed the writ petition on the grounds of laches.

3. Shri P.P. Rao, Learned senior counsel for the petitioner, Contends that the petitioner had no Knowledge of the acquisition proceedings; as soon as it came to know of the acquisition, it had challenged the validity of the acquisition, it had challenged the validity of the acquisition proceedings and, therefore, it furnishes cause of action to the petitioner. He further contends that the writ petition could not be dismissed on the ground of laches but was required to be considered on