Judgment

B.P. SINGH, J. - Permission to file SLP granted.

2. Special leave granted.

3. In this batch of appeals the sole question which falls for consideration is whether the appellants herein are entitled to maintain an application for special leave before this Court impugning the judgment and order of the High b Court which affirmed the findings of the Reference Court under Section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act in appeals preferred by the Special Land Acquisition Officer, the respondent herein. The appellants contend that the High Court ought to have, even in the appeals preferred by the Special Land Acquisition Officer, awarded interest on solatium payable under Section 23(2) of the Land Acquisition Act. The respondent on the other hand, C contends that the appeals had been preferred before the High Court by the Special Land Acquisition Officer in which the appellants herein were the respondents. The appeals preferred by the Special Land Acquisition Officer having been dismissed by the High Court, the appellants cannot be said to be parties aggrieved by the judgment and order of the High Court. Before the High Court they had not even prayed for grant of interest on solatium and