Judgment

S.P. Kurdukar, J.-Leave granted.

2. This Court vide its order dated 21.3.96 directed that LPA No. 12/93 pend­ing in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir be transferred to this Court and the same be heard along with S.L.P. (C) No. 1779 of 1994 since an identical question is involved in both the matters arising out of the Judgment dated 17.8.93 in Civil Appeal No. 38 of 1992 and Civil Appeal No. 42 of 1992 passed by the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir at Jammu. Few facts leading to the present proceedings may be summarised as under:-

3. A chunk of land admeasuring 642 kanals and 12 marlas of village Punzgam, Distt. Pulwana belonging to the respondents were acquired by the Land Acquisition Collector Pulwama by invoking Section 17 of the Land Acquisition Act. This land was acquired at the instance of Union of India for public purpose. The Land Acquisition Collector on pay­ment of compensation of Rs. 57,34,621 to the various claimants, took possession of the land on December 11, 1986. After service of notice under Section 9 of the Land Acquisition Act the claimants filed their claims before the Collector who after taking into account the sale instances and other material by his awa