JUDGMENT

S. C. AGRAWAL, J. :—By these Review Petitions the petitioners are seeking review of the order dated October 8, 1991 whereby Civil Appeals Nos. 2320-21 of 1991 filed by the petitioners have been dismissed. The said Civil Appeals arose out of proceedings for acquisition of land for the Beas Dam Project. Notifications dated January 11, 1962, April 1, 1963 and November 10, 1964 were issued under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) during the period 1962-64 in respect of lands in District Kangra which was a part of the erstwhile State of Punjab. After the re-organisation of the State of Punjab by the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 the said lands came to fall in the State of Himachal Pradesh. Proceedings for acquisition of land were thereafter conducted in the State of Himachal Pradesh. The awards were made by the Land Acquisition Collector, Beas Dam Project, Talwara. The respondents in these petitions did not seek a reference under Section 18 of the Act but other persons whose lands were acquired under the said notifications sought a reference. Most of these references were disposed of by the Court prior to September 24, 1984 but in some references the award by the Court was made after the enactment of the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act, 1984 (hereinafter referred to as the Amendment Act) which came into force on September 24, 1984. By the Amendment Act Section 28-A was introduced in the Act. According to the petitioners the earliest award by the Court after the coming into force of the Amendment Act was made on December 27, 1984. Awards were, however, made by the Court in pending references subsequent to December 27, 1984 also. One such award was made on February 21, 1987. Smt. Pradeep Kumari, respondent No.1, filed an application under Section 28-A for claiming the benefit of the said award dated February 21, 1987. On the said application the Collector made an order dated March 14, 1988 awarding additional amount of compensation on the basis of the award of the Court dated February 21, 1987. Feeling aggrieved by the said order of the Collector dated March 14, 1988 the petitioners filed Civil Writ Petition No. 181 of 1989 in the High Court of Himachal Pradesh, Respondent No.2 Smt. Savitri Devi, also filed an application under Section 28-A of the Act wherein she contended that the benefit of the decision of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh dated September 5, 1986 in R.F.A. No. 166 of 1977 be extended to her and the amount of compensation be enhanced on that basis under Section 28-A. The said application of respondent No.2 was dismissed by the Collector on January 29, 1987 on the view that the benefit under Section 28-A is available only on the basis of an award of the reference Court and redetermination of the amount of compensation could not be sought on the basis of the judgment of the High Court. Feeling aggrieved by the said order of the Collector respondent No.2 filed Civil Writ Petition No. 580 of 1987 in the High Court of Himachal Pradesh. In the said writ petition respondent No.2 submitted that in case she was not entitled to get enhanced compensation on the basis of the judgment of the High Court dated September 5, 1986, she may be given the benefit of Section 28-A on the basis of the award made by the reference Court on November 10, 1986.

2. Both the writ petitions were disposed of by a Division Bench of the High Court by common judgment dated October 24, 1990. On behalf of the petitioners it was submitted before the High Court that the expression award of the Court in Section 28-A of the Act means the first award made by the Court after the coming into force of the Amendment Act and as the said award was made on December 27, 1984 the applications submitted by the respondents are barred by limitation since they were submitted after expiry of the period of three months from the date of the making of the said award. The High Court rejected the said contention and hel