ORDER :

1. Leave granted.

2. We have heard the learned counsel for the appellants. None has appeared on behalf of the respondents.

3. By the impugned order the High Court has refused to condone the inordinate delay of 6593 days in filing the appeal seeking enhanced compensation. The High Court while doing so, however, took note of the fact that in a connected matter i.e. R.F.A. No.718/1990 ‘Rameshwar Solanki & Anr. vs. Union of India’ AIR 1995 Delhi 358 compensation was enhanced. Yet as according to the High Court the delay was inordinate and had not been explained the appeal was not entertained by condoning the delay.

4. If a similarly situated landowner i.e. in the case of Ramesheswar Solanki & Anr. vs. Union of India (supra) has received higher compensation, which fact the High Court had noted, the High Court should have allowed the benefit of such higher compensation to the appellants, if required, by making it clear that for the period of delay no interest shall be payable to the appellants-landowners. The above course of action has, in fact, been adopted by this Court in several other cases where compensation at par has been awarded minus interest for the period of delay in approaching the Court.

5. In the present case, we are inclined to follow the said course of action. Accordingly, we set aside the order of the High Court, condone the delay that has occurred in instituting the appeal before the High Court and award compensation to the appellants-landowners at the same rate that has been awarded in the case of Rameshwar Solanki & Anr. vs. Union of India (supra) along with all statutory benefits. We make it clear that no interest shall be payable to the appellants- landowners for the period of 6593 days’ delay that has occurred in the present case in approaching the High Court.

6. The order of the High Court is set aside and the appeal is allowed as indicated above.