IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
ARAVIND KUMAR, A.J. SHASTRI, JJ.
Arvindkumar Ganeshmal Dugar - Appellant
Versus
State of Gujarat - Respondent
R/Special Civil Application No. 17863 of 2021
Decided On : 11-01-2022
land Acquisition Act of 2013 – Section 23 and 64(1) - Constitution of India - Article 226 - Acquisition Of Land – Joint Property - Compensation - Challenged Order - Petitioner land registration District and Sub-District Ahmedabad known as "Sagar Sadan" which was originally in name of Shri Subhkaran Sagarmal Dugar - Property of 'Sagar Sadan' was purchased by five (5) persons for which a sale deed was executed between them, which was registered before the Sub-Registrar - joint property in which each person is having share of 20% of the said property or 1/5th share, but subsequently, Ganeshmal Sagarmal Dugar died leaving behind his last testament 'Will' bequeathing his 1/5th (20% share) undivided share in the said 'Sagar Sadan' property to his wife having 40% share and rest of the above persons were enjoying 20% share in said property 'Sagar Sadan' each –whether the High Court ought to have entertained the writ petition filed by the respondent? As regards the power of the High Court to issue directions, orders or writs in exercise of its jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the same is no more res integra - Held, Under scheme of the Act, there is a hierarchy of authorities before which the petitioners can get adequate redress against the wrongful acts complained of. The petitioners have the right to prefer an appeal before the Prescribed Authority under sub-section (1) of Section 23 of the Act. If the petitioners are dissatisfied with the decision in the appeal, they can prefer a further appeal to the Tribunal under sub-section (3) of Section 23 of the Act, and then ask for a case to be stated upon a question of law for the opinion of the High Court under Section 24 of the Act. The Act provides for a complete machinery to challenge an order of assessment, and the impugned orders of assessment can only be challenged by the mode prescribed by the Act and not by a petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. It is now well recognized that where a right or liability is created by a statute which gives a special remedy for enforcing it, the remedy provided by that statute only must be availed of – Petition dismissed.
JUDGMENT :
A.J. Shastri, J.
1. By way of this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, petitioner has challenged the legality and validity of the impugned basic order dated 25.10.2021 and had sought for certain incidental reliefs as contained in paragraph 13, which is reproduced hereunder:-
(B) Your Lordships may be pleased to issue writ of certiorari or any appropriate writ, order or direction and be pleased to direct the Ld. Dist. Collector, Ahmedabad to make reference to the appropriate authority in pursuance to the application u/s. 64(1) of the land Acquisition Act of 2013 at Annex-B to this petition, submitted by the petitioner and till then keep aside the disputed 40% amount of compensation with the Hon'ble City Civil Court and/or Ld. Collector and/or to invest the same with any Nationalized Bank pending such reference; AND
(C) Your Lordships may be pleased to stay the impugned order dated 25.10.2021 passed by respondent no. 3 produced at Annex-A to this petition, in so far as disbursing the amount of compensation in favour of Resp. Nos. 5-6 and further direct to disburse the undisputed 60% amount of compensation including 20% amount of compensation in favour of the petitioner, during the pendency of and final disposal of this petition; AND
(D) Your Lordships may be pleased to grant ad-interim relief in terms of sub-para (C) pending hearing and final hearing and final disposal of this petition; AND
(E) Your Lordships may be pleased to pass such other and further orders may be deemed just and proper in the facts and circumstances of the present case."
2. The case of the petitioner is that the land bearing City Survey No. 5752 of T.P. Scheme No. 14, Final Plot No. 188 admeasuring 2684.55 sq.mtrs., of Mouje Dariapur-Kajipur registration District and Sub-District Ahmedabad known as "Sagar Sadan" which was originally in the name of Shri Subhkaran Sagarmal Dugar. On 29.08.1970, the said property of 'Sagar Sadan' was purchased by five (5) persons named as (i) Ganeshmal Sagarmal Dugar, (ii) Smt. Sirekumari Ganeshmal Dugar, (iii) Arvindkumar Ganeshmal Dugar, (iv) Ashokkumar Ganeshmal Dugar, (v) Shreyaskumar Ganeshmal Dugar, for which a sale deed was executed between them, which was registered before the Sub-Registrar. The said joint property in which each person is having share of 20% of the said property or 1/5th share, but subsequently, Ganeshmal Sagarmal Dugar died on 18.02.1976 leaving behind his last testament 'Will' bequeathing his 1/5th (20% share) undivided share in the said 'Sagar Sadan' property to his wife named as Smt. Sirekumari Ganeshmal Dugar. Subsequently, Smt. Sirekumari Ganeshmal Dugar was having 40% share and rest of the above persons were enjoying 20% share in the said property 'Sagar Sadan' each.
2.1. It is the case of the petitioner that upon finalization of the Bullet Train Project, the officer of the acquisition department visited the said premises for acquiring the land admeasuring 159.64 sq.mtrs., and thereafter, vide letters dated 28.06.2019 and 13.07.2019, petitioner has given consent for acquisition in which the petitioner also mentioned his share in the property. It is further the case of the petitioner that on 05.09.2019, the petitioner received a letter in which he was called upon for personal hearing on 19.10.2019, though in the said letter, the department has wrongly spelt-out his name as 'Ashvinkumar Ganeshmal' instead of 'Arvindkumar Ganeshmal' and name of Shreyaskumar Ganeshmal' as 'Koveshkumar Ganeshmal' and as such, there are no such persons like the aforesaid names and, therefore, on 19.10.2019 itself, an application was given for correction of their names. The petitioner has further mentioned that out of 40% share of Smt. Sirekum
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