RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT AT JAIPUR BENCH
A.P.Sen, J.
Moolchand and Anr. - Appellant
Versus
State of Rajasthan and Nine Ors. - Respondent
S.B.C. Writ Petition No. 1225 of 1973.
Decided On : 28-07-1977
LAND ACQUISITION - RAJASTHAN LAND ACQUISITION ACT, 1953 - SECTION 6 - AWARD OF LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER - CONDITION FOR ALLOTMENT OF PLOT TO LANDOWNER - MUNICIPAL BOARD BOUND TO COMPLY - DOCTRINE OF EQUITABLE ESTOPPEL.
Fact of the Case:
Land was acquired by the State Government for the Municipal Board for extension of abadi. The Land Acquisition Officer, by his order, made a conditional award for payment of compensation depending on classification of soils, on condition that out of the land acquired a big plot shall be allotted to the landowner for his residential purposes at half the price of the other plots. The Municipal Board, by its resolution, made allotment of plots in favour of others, by ignoring the condition imposed by the Land Acquisition Officer.
Finding of the Court:
The Municipal Board was bound by the condition imposed by the Land Acquisition Officer, and it could not go behind the condition and to allot plots of land to others, totally ignoring the petitioner's claim.
Issues: Whether the Municipal Board was bound to allot a plot of land to the landowner before making allotment of plots to others.
Ratio Decidendi: The Municipal Board is clearly bound by the doctrine of equitable estoppel. It has taken the land by payment of compensation to an amount lower than the market value, on condition that a big plot of land out of the land acquired, shall be allotted to the landowner. The Municipal Board cannot resile from that condition and make allotment of the land to others without making provision for the allotment of a plot to the petitioners.
Final Decision: The petition succeeds and is allowed. A writ of mandamus shall be issued against the Municipal Board, directing it to comply with the order of the Land Acquisition Officer by allotting a plot of land to the petitioners out of the acquired land.
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It appears that the second part of the order made on a representation by the Municipal Board before the Director, Local Bodies, Rajasthan, a here, that vacant plots were still available for allotment. It now appears that no such plots are available. When the petitioner applied for gram of ad-interim writ, the Municipal Board, in its reply dated December 3, 1973, stated in paragraph No. 1 of the additional pleas:
The Municipal Board at this stage is prepared to keep a vacant piece of land for the allotment of a plot to petitioner succeeds...."
In their rejoinder dated January 4, 1974 the petitioners disputed the fact that any plots are available. The rejoinde
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