Judgment :

1. Leave granted. Heard.

2. An extent of 8 acres 17 marlas of agricultural land in Ganaur village, District Sonepat, was acquired in pursuance of preliminary notification dated 27.9.1991 for the purpose of establishing a Vegetable Market. The Land Acquisition Collector ('Collector' for short) by award dated 27.1.1994, awarded compensation at the rate of Rs.1,92,000/- per acre. The Reference Court increased the compensation to Rs.3,40,000/- per acre, by judgment and award dated 8.11.1997. On appeal by the land owners, the High Court, by the impugned judgment dated 8.5.2008, increased the compensation to Rs.425/-per sq.yd. which works out to Rs.20,57,0000/-per acre. Feeling aggrieved, the beneficiaries of acquisition have filed these appeals by special leave.

3. Before the Reference Court the claimants relied upon two sale deeds (Ex P2 dated 5.8.1991 and Ex P3 dated 25.4.1990) relating to an extent of 77 sq.yds. sold for Rs.73,150/- and 31 sq.yds. sold for Rs.46,500/-respectively. The Collector relied upon three sale instances, namely, Exhibit R.1 dated 29.6.1992, Exhibit R.2 dated 1.7.1994 and Exhibit R.3 dated 1.7.1994 which disclosed sales of an extent of 9 Kanals 18 Mar