1. Petitioners challenge the proceedings initiated under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, hereinafter referred to as 'the Act', for acquisition of properties mentioned in Ext. P1 notification for expansion of Travancore Electro Chemicals Industries Limited, Chingavanam. The attack is on two counts. First one is that declaration issued u/s. 6 of the Act was after the expiry of one year from the date of publication of Ext. PI notification u/s. 4 (1) of the Act, and hence it is invalid. The second ground is that the acquisition for expansion of the existing unit of a company is bit by S.44B of the Act and hence liable to be quashed. I shall proceed to deal with these contentions in detail.

2. Ext. P1 notification u/s. 4 (1) of the Act was issued in the Gazette dated 17-2-1987. It was published in Deepika daily on 17-2-1987 and in Malayala Manorama daily on 21-2-1987. S.6 declaration was issued on 7-3-1988. Second proviso to S.6(1) of the Act states that no notification u/s. 6 shall be made after the expiry of one year from the date of publication of notification u/s. 4(1) of the Act. Therefore, it is argued that declaration u/s. 6 of the Act should have been published on or