JUDGMENT

B. N. KIRPAL, J. - Leave granted.

2. The short facts leading to these appeals are as under :

For the Rocket Launching Station located at Sriharikota of Indian Space Research Organisation, Department of Space, Government of India, an area of about 37,792 acres of land was acquired sometime in 1970s. Consequent to the expansion of space programmes certain additional lands at the southern tip of Sriharikota Island in the Marimanal village in Pooneri Taluka Chengai Anna District, Tamil Nadu, were acquired. The extent of these lands, with which we are concerned, was about 5394 acres.

3. For the purpose of acquiring the aforesaid lands, the Department of Space, Government of India approached the State of Tamil Nadu. This was done pursuant to the Notification No. 4(1) /65 dated 23-4-1966 which had been issued under Article 258(1) of the Constitution of India whereby President of India had entrusted to the Government of Tamil Nadu, with their consent, the functions of the Central Government under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 in relation to acquisition of lands for the purpose of the Union in the said State. Accordingly, notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act (h