JUDGMENT

Shivaraj V. Patil, J.-In Special Leave Petitions delay condoned and leave granted.

Civil Appeal Nos. 6767, 6768, 6769-6771, 6774, 6773, 6775, 6778, 6777, 6776, 6780-84, 6779, 6786, 6785, 6787 of 2002, Civil Appeal Nos. 4886, 4894, 4893, 4900, 4892, 4901, 4889 and 4887 of 2004 (@ Special Leave Petition (C) Nos. 15711 of 2004 (CC 6023/2002), 22439 of 2002, 4873, 9157, 12247, 11885, 11888 and 11711 of 2003), Civil Appeal Nos. 2297, 5266, 6923, 8515, 8516, 8932, 8933, 8936, 8938, 8934 and 8935 of 2003 and Civil Appeal Nos. 31 and 32 of 2004 and Civil Appeal No. 4902 of 2004 (@ Special Leave Petition (C) No. 2664 of 2004)

2. A Notification dated 17.11.1980 was issued under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short the Act ) for acquisition of vast lands in three villages, viz., Kondli, Gharoli and Dallupura for planned development of Delhi. The Land Acquisition Collector fixed market value of the lands in question on the basis of sale transactions that took place during the relevant period, @ Rs. 8,500/- per bigha. The claimants were not satisfied with the amount of compensation fixed by the Land Acquisition Collector and they sought reference under Section 18 of the