Judgment

P.K. Balasubramanyan, J.—All these appeals involve questions connected with the scope and effect of Section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act as amended and adopted in the State of Karnataka. The brief facts leading to the appeals are as under.

Civil Appeal No. 2024 of 1999

The State challenges the order of the learned Single Judge of the Karnataka High Court in Civil Revision Petition No. 3682 of 1995 by which the learned Judge dismissed the revision filed by the State challenging the order of the Civil Judge, being the land acquisition court, purporting to condone the delay in filing an application under Section 18(3)(b) of the Land Acquisition Act, as amended in Karnataka. The notice of the award under Section 12(2) of the Act was served on the claimant on 6.1.1984. Under Section 18(2) of the Act, the claimant had 90 days from the date of service of that notice, to seek a reference under that Section for enhancement of compensation. The respondent claimed that an application under Section 18(1) of the Act seeking a reference was filed on 15.3.1984, within 90 days of 6.1.1984, but the reference was not made by the Deputy Commissioner within 90 days thereafter as enjoined by Se