1. This judgement shall dispose of the aforesaid 13 writ petitions, which have been filed by the various land-owners, whose land was acquired by the State of Punjab vide notification dated 18-6-1991, issued under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (hereinafter referred to as the Act ). In all the petitions, the following common question of law has been raised :

"Whether the Land Acquisition Collector has the power/jurisdiction to modify the Award made by him under Section 11 of the Act by reducing the amount of compensation awarded by making a fresh /supplementary Award after the period of two years prescribed under Section 11-A of the Act?

2. The State of Punjab, vide notification dated 18-6-1991 issued under Section 4 of the Act, had acquired 567 Kanals 1 Marla of land of village Malikpur, which was owned by various land owners including the petitioners, for the purpose of construction of Hydel Channel of S. Y. L. Ropar Power House. On the acquired land, various super-structures and fruit trees were existing. On 3-7-1992, notification under Section 6 of the Act was issued. Thereafter, notices under Section 9 of the Act were issued by the Land Acquisition Collecto