judgment

S.B. SINHA, J. —

1.Leave granted in both the Special Leave Petitions.

2.Appellants herein are owners of various tracts of agricultural lands situate in Village Chak Gujran, Tehsil and District Hoshiarpur in the State of Punjab. Respondent No. 5, M/s International Tractors Limited, is a Company incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956. It intended to set up a project named Ganesha Project. It requested the State to acquire lands in question in terms of the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short, the Act). A notification was issued by the State purported to be under Section 4 of the Act on 15.02.2002, stating :

Whereas it appears to the Governor of Punjab that Land is likely to be required to be taken by the Government at the public expense, for a public purpose namely for setting up of Ganesha Project, M/s. International Tractors Ltd. at Village Chak Gujran, Tehsil & Distt. Hoshiarpur, it is hereby notified that the land in locality described below is likely to be required for the above purpose.

This notification is made under the provisions of Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 to all whom it may concern.

In exercise of powers conferred by the aforesa