Judgment-

BHAGWATI

( 1 ) THESE appeals by special leave would have perhaps met with a different fate if the Land Acquisition Act, 1894in its application in the State of Andhra Pradesh had not been amended by the Land Acquisition (Andhra Pradesh Amendment and Validation) Act, 1983 (hereinafter referred to as the Amending Act) with retrospective effect from 12/09/1975. The retrospective amendment made by the Amending Act in S. 4 Ss. (1) of the Act completely invalidates the notifications under S. 4 sub-section (1) and S. 6 issued by the Andhra Pradesh government and the Judgment of the High court quashing these notifications has therefore to be sustained. The facts giving rise to these appeals are few and may be briefly stated as follows :

( 2 ) THE government of Andhra Pradesh issued a notification under S. 4 sub-section (1) staling that a total area of 35 acres and 35 gunthas was likely to be needed for the purpose of the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (hereinafter referred to as HUDA ). The notification was published in the Andhra Pradesh Gazette on 4/08/1977 and public notice of the substance of the notification was given at convenient places in the locality, after a period o