( 1 ) THESE three writ petitions are disposed of by a common judgment as the issues involved are more or less common to all the writ petitions.

( 2 ) W. P. No. 17068/97 was filed by four petitioners who are owners of Ac. 5-10 cents in NTS No. l of Block No. 9 of Machavaram village, Vijayawada urban Mandal, Krishna District. Originally the writ petition was filed claiming compensation under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short the L. A. Act ) on the basis of the notification issued under Section 4 (1) of the L. A. Act on 13-1-1997 on the ground that the earlier notifications have lapsed. Later on the petitioners have filed an Amendment Petition in W. P. M. P. No. 23246/98 seeking an amendment of the prayer which was allowed on 10-7-1998. By the virtue of this Amendment Petition, the petitioners are seeking a Writ of mandamus declaring the notifications dated 5-11-1979 and 25-1-1990 issued by the 2nd respondent under Section 4 (1) of the L. A. Act as illegal, arbitrary and unreasonable and violative of Articles 14 and 300-A of the Constitution of India and to direct the respondents to initiate proceedings under section 11 of the L. A. Act and to pass award and