Judgment

MUDHOLKAR, J. : This is an appeal against: the judgment of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh by which it reduced the amount of compensation awarded to the appellants by the Subordinate Judge, Vijayawada in respect of certain lands belonging to them which were acquired by the State.

2. The lands in question are survey Nos. 281/2, 339/1 to 8 and 338/1 to 3 which are situated at a short distance from the town of Vijayawada and lie alongside the Vijayawada- Eluru Road. The Land Acquisition Officer had fixed Rs. 3,500/- per acre for the first two of these survey Nos. and Rs. 4,000/- per acre for the third survey, number. The learned Subordinate Judge granted a uniform rate of Rs. 10,000/- per acre for the lands comprised in all the survey numbers. There were some disputes with regard to the entitlement to the compensation for survey No. 339/1 to 3 and the Land Acquisition officer, therefore, made a reference to the Court for the apportionment of the compensation amount among the various claimants. Six of the appellants did not accept the award of the Land Acquisition officer and made applications in writing to him within the time allowed by law for referring the matter for determi