JUDGMENT :

1. Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied by the impugned judgment and award passed in LAR No.138 of 2002 by the Reference Court/Civil Judge, Senior Division, Nilanga, the original claimant as well as the acquiring body have preferred the present appeals by taking aid of Section 54 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (hereinafter referred to as the “Act” for the sake of convenience).

2. The land admeasuring 4 Hectare 37 R out of Survey No.18 and land admeasuring 35 R out of Survey No.19 owned and possessed by the claimant and situated at village Ambawadi came to be acquired by the Government for Masalga Medium Project.

3. Relevant events and dates of the acquisition proceedings are as under:

a) On 5th August, 1993, notification under Section 4 of the Act came to be published.

b) On 1st March, 1995, notification under Section 6 of the Act came to be published.

c) On 29th September, 1996, the SLAO was pleased to pass award.

d) The SLAO was pleased to award compensation at the rate of Rs.225/- per R i.e. at the rate of Rs.25,000/- per Hectare; and

e) The Reference Court was pleased to enhance the compensation at the rate of Rs.40,000/- per Acre for Bagayat land and Rs.27,500/- per Acre f