1. It is the case of the petitioner that his father Late Thiru A. Kumarasamy Udayar owned agricultural land comprised in Survey Nos. 214/2, 214/3 and 214/4 in Anaiyampatti Village, Gangavalli Taluk, Salem District, measuring 0.72.5 hectares. Acquisition proceedings were initiated under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Harijan Welfare Schemes Act 1978.

2. From the pleadings and material on record, it could be deduced that notice has been issued in Form I, under Rule 3(i) of the Rules framed thereunder to the petitioners. Thereafter, a Gazette Notification under Section 4(1) of the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Harijan Welfare Schemes Act 31 of 1978 has been published in Salem District Gazette Extraordinary on 25.03.1999, acquiring lands of the petitioners and others. Subsequently, notice in Form III, as per Rule 5(i) of the rules framed thereunder, has been issued to the land owner and others, for payment of compensation amount. Proceedings in Na.Ka. No. 2307/97(A) dated 25.10.2001 of the Tahsildar (Adi Dravidar Welfare), Attur addressed to the learned Subordinate Judge, Attur, shows that the father of the petitioner Late A. Kumaraswamy Udayar, and owner of the lan