JUDGMENT

K. Ramaswamy, J.-Leave granted.

2. The International Airport Authority of India (for short, IAAI ) had requisitioned the Lt. Governor, Delhi and the Government of India to acquire 713 bighas, 2 biswas of land for rehabilitation of 1,000 families displaced by acquisition of land for Indira Gandhi International Airport. The Lt. Governor, exercising the power under Section 17(1) dispensed with the enquiry under Section 5-A and directed under Section 17(4) to take over possession. The notification under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short, the Act) was published on December 23, 1986. The same was published in two newspapers on January 3, 1987. The notice of substance of such notification was given at convenient places in the locality. The declaration under Section 6(1) was published on December 24, 1986 and notice of substance thereof was given in the locality thereafter. The possession of the land was taken over on January 29, 1987. The awards also were made by the Collector under Section 11 on December 23, 1987.

3. It would appear that, admittedly, a batch of writ petitions was filed in the High Court impugning the notification under Section 4(1) and th