PREM CHAND JAIN, J.

1. Rattan Singh and another have filed this petition under Arts. 226/227 of the Constitution of India, for the issuance of a writ in the nature of certiorari for quashing the notifications issued under Ss. 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (hereinafter referred to as the Act), copies Annexures P-1 and P-2 respectively. The facts of the case may briefly be stated thus:-

The petitioners are small landowners in village Nijjarpura, Tahsil and District Amritsar, and own about 51 Kanals each of agricultural land. It is stated in the petition that respondent No. 1 issued a notification u/s. 4 of the Act, to the effect that the land in the locality, specified in the notification was needed by the Government at public expense for a public purpose, namely, for allotment of house sites to the landless workers in the rural areas. Later on, the Collector, Amritsar, respondent No. 2, issued notification under Ss. 6 and 7 of the Act, which was published in the Punjab Government Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 26.06.1975. In the said notification it has been stated that the land specified in the said notification was needed by the Government as public expense for