JUDGMENT

G.S. Singhvi, J.

1. Delay in filing Special Leave Petition (Civil) Nos. 33777-33782/2009, 22831/2010, 23641/2010, 23643/2010 and 1961/2011 is condoned.

2. Leave granted.

3. These appeals filed against the judgments/orders passed by different Division Benches of the Madras High Court substantially reducing the amount of compensation determined by Additional District Judge, Erode and Principal Subordinate Judge, Erode (hereinafter referred to as, "the Reference Court") are illustrative of the plight of the owners of small parcels of land, who are deprived of the only source of livelihood and who have to spend substantial amount in litigation and wait for years together to get just and reasonable compensation in lieu of the compulsory acquisition of their land by the State.

4. For the sake of convenience, we shall first advert to the factual matrix of the appeals arising out of SLP (C) Nos. 25581-82 of 2009 Jaganatha Gounder v. Special Tahsildar (Land Acquisition), Erode and another because learned Counsel for the parties made submissions keeping in view the factual matrix of those cases.

5. In exercise of the powers vested in it under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894