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2021 Supreme(HP) 46

IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA
SURESHWAR THAKUR, J.
Banka Ram - Petitioner
Versus
State of H.P. & others - Respondents
CWP No. 1145 of 2017
Decided On : 09-04-2021

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Petitioners:Mr. V.D. Khidtta, Advocate.
For the Respondents: Mr. Ashwani Sharma, Addl. A.G., with Mr. Vikrant Chandel, Dy. A.G.

Headnote:

Lands Acquisition and Requisition - Construction of road - Determination of compensation - Claims rendition of a mandamus Petitioner's land, is, evidently utilized by respondents for construction of road, nomenclatured, as, Bdiyara-Manghara road – However despite respondents utilizing land of writ petitioner for construction of afore road, no compensation became determined, petitioner's land, hence leading writ petitioner to approach this Court.

Finding of the court: Determining compensation, vis-avis, his land, as, became utilized for construction of afore named road, (i) and, as becomes anchored, upon, petitioner unalike afore admittedly meteing his verbal consent to authority, for utilizing his land, for construction of afore road, is also a misfounded stance, (ii) given obviously rather alike afore Dina Nath, writ petitioner only purveying an implied verbal consent to authorities concerned, despite, scheme providing making of an express scribed consent by Court of H.P. petitioner, to authorities concerned, (iii) omission(s) whereof, of authorities concerned does estops them to deny compensation to petitioner- Denial with respect to admitted consent of writ petitioner, being rather conditioned with afore assurance, would also not render disabled, writ petitioner to claim parity with one Dina Nath. Reason being that in denying parity to writ petitioner, with one Dina Nath, would wreak constitutionally prohibited vices of discrimination and arbitrariness upon petitioner

Result: writ Petition allowed

Point of Law: Land Acquired for public purpose – Notice - Delay/Laches/Limitation - Any implied or verbal consent of landowners concerned, besides writ claims being hit by vices of delay, and, laches, becoming completely repudiated - respondents are directed to, within four weeks from today, issue requisite acquisition notice under relevant statute, lands of writ petitioner thereafter forthwith determine, just, and, fair compensation qua lands of landowners concerned.

JUDGMENT :

SURESHWAR THAKUR, J.

1. The writ petitioner's land, is, evidently utilized by the respondents for the construction of road, nomenclatured, as, Bdiyara-Manghara road. However, despite the respondents utilizing the land of the writ petitioner for construction of the afore road, no compensation became determined, vis-a-vis, the petitioner's land, hence, leading the writ petitioner to approach this Court. Through, the extant writ petition, the petitioner claims rendition of a mandamus, upon, the respondents for acquiring his utilised land, and, thereafter the respondents determining compensation qua his land.

2. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, has, contended that since, vis-a-vis, the land of one Dina Nath located also hence within the span of the afore nomenclatured road, became after, a conclusive judgement and decree becoming rendered by the court concerned, hence, recommended, for, determination, of, compensation by the Negotiation Committed in its meeting held on 26th October, 2016, recommendations whereof, are borne in Annexure P-5, (i) and, whereafter the respondents meted approval, vis-a-vis, the recommendations as borne in Annexure P-5, (ii) thereupon, since, there is parity inter se the writ petitioner and the afore Dina Nath. Therefore, alike the afore, the respondents are enjoined to settle, vis-a-vis, the petitioner's land, compensation in accordance with law.

3. The respondents resisted the afore endeavour of the writ petitioner, on the ground, of, the writ petitioner admitting his purveying an oral consent to the respondents, in theirs undertaking the construction of the road, nomenclatured as “ Bdiyara-Manghara road”. Consequently, the respondent(s) contend(s) that the afore admitted oral consent or verbal consent purveyed by the petitioner to the respondents, does estop, him to either claim parity along with Dina Nath, and/or, from his claiming the writ relief. However, for the reasons to be assigned hereinafter, the afore resistance, meted by the respondents, cannot be accepted, (i) as, the afore road became constructed under the PMGSY, and, all funds became purveyed by the Government of India. Since, the scheme formulated by the Government of India, for construction of roads under the PMGSY, mandate(s) that explicit consent of the landowners concerned, is to be obtained by the authority concerned, (ii) whereas, no explicit consent being obtained by the authority concerned from the writ petitioner, rather prior to theirs under taking to construct the afore road, (iii) thereupon, with the respondents breaching the mandate of the afore scheme, rather making a contemplation, vis-a-vis, the authorities concerned, prior to putting to utilization, the apposite landowners' land, for construction of any road, under the PMGSY, theirs obtaining an explicit scribed consent, of the landowners concerned. In sequel, the respondent cannot merely, upon, any admitted verbal/oral consent meted by the writ petitioner to the respondent, erect any argument, that there was completest compliance with the mandate of the scheme, rather enjoining the authorities concerned, to take an express and explicit scribed consent, for the relevant purpose, from the writ petitioner.

4. Be that as it may, mandate, if any, in PMGSY, hence stipulating the necessity of purveying of any explicit scribed consent by the landowners concerned, prior to the under taking of construction of the road, by the authorities concerned, would necessarily breach the mandate of Article 300-A of the Constitution of India. The afore constitutional mandate is inviolable, and, has been declared by the Hon'ble Apex Court in a verdict rendered in a case titled as Tukaram Kana Joshi and others vs. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and others, reported in (2013)1 SCC 353, the relevant paragraphs where stand extracted hereinafter, (i) to be meted completest adherence, through the authorities concerned, determining compensation, vis-a-vis, the

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