Judgement

SIKRI, J.: These two petitions under Art. 32 of the Constitution raise substantially the same questions of law and were heard together and may conveniently be disposed of together. It would be convenient to give a few facts in Writ Petition No. 66 of 1965.

2. The petitioners who are citizens of India are owners of some land in Greater Bombay in the South Salsetta Taluka in the Bombay Suburban District. There are four respondents to the petition; the first is the State of Maharashtra, the second the Commissioner, Bombay Division, the third the Special Land Acquisition Officer and the fourth the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, established by notification under the Maharashtra Industrial Development Act, 1961. The predecessor in office of the second respondent, by notification dated March 30, 1962, published in the Maharashtra Government Gazette, purporting to act under S. 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (I of 1894) - hereinafter referred to as the Act - notified that the land belonging to the petitioners was likely to be needed "for a public purpose, viz., for development and utilisation of the said lands as an industrial and residential area". By the said