These writ petitions are filed by persons whose land/building were acquired for the purpose of National Highway under the National Highways Act, 1956. The petitioners' case is that they were denied solatium and interest applicable in the case of acquisition of land under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 on account of the operation of Sections 3G(5) and 3J of the National Highways Act, 1956. The petitioners have also challenged the vires of Sections 3G(5) and 3J of the National Highways Act. Though several grounds of challenge are raised in these writ petitions, learned counsel for the petitioners confined their claim to solatium and interest based on the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

2. The brief facts involved in these cases are as follows:

The petitioners in all these writ petitions are evictees by virtue of acquisition of land for the purpose of National Highway at various places in Thrissur and Ernakulam Districts. They were given compensation and are not satisfied with the determination of compensation for the reason that solatium and interest were denied to them.

3. Le