JUDGMENT

Dr. Mukundakam Sharma, J. —

1. The applications seeking for substitution of the legal representatives of the deceased appellants pending consideration are allowed while condoning delay, directing substitution of the names of the legal representatives in place of deceased appellants. The said applications are accordingly disposed of by this common order.

2. Having passed an order for substitution of the legal representatives in place of the deceased appellants, we now proceed to dispose of all these appeals by this common judgment and order as all these appeals are interconnected and issues raised and urged are almost identical in nature.

3. The Government of Karnataka issued a preliminary notification under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 [for short “the Act”] proposing to acquire lands for the Bhima River Lift Irrigation Project which was published in the Government Gazette on 08.06.1995 by which the Government proposed to acquire lands belonging to the appellants herein. The lands proposed to be acquired consist of both irrigated and dry lands pertaining to Devangaon Village, Bijapur District. Subsequently, the State Government also issued declaration unde