JUDGMENT

Dr. Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, J. - The present appeals [Civil Appeal Nos. 1318 and 1319 of 2017] arise from a judgment and order of a Division Bench of the High Court of Judicature at Madras dated 22 December 2016. While allowing a writ appeal [WA no 1201 of 2016] filed by the first respondent, the Division Bench of the High Court set aside the judgment and order of a learned Single Judge dated 30 August 2016, which was rendered in a challenge by the appellants to an order dated 28 December 2015 of the District Revenue Officer ["DRO"] , Tiruvallur.

2. WS Industries (India) Ltd. ["WSIL"] , the appellant in Civil Appeal No 1319 of 2017 was incorporated on 23 August 1961 under the Companies Act 1956. Between 27 December 1961 and 8 May 1963, the State of Tamil Nadu issued various notifications under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act 1894 ["Land Acquisition Act"] , seeking to acquire 49.67 acres of land situated at Porur Village, Ambattur Taluk, Tiruvallar District, Tamil Nadu. The land which was the subject matter of acquisition under a notification dated 20 June 1962, included survey numbers 70/1, 73/2 and 77, comprising an overall area of 46.04 acres. On 4 July 1962, t