SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2023 Supreme(P&H) 2960

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
SURESHWAR THAKUR, SUDEEPTI SHARMA, JJ.
Prem Singh – Petitioner
Versus
UT of Chandigarh & Ors. – Respondents
CWP-14809 of 2018 (O&M)
Decided On : 06-12-2023

Advocates Appeared:
Mr. Rajiv Kataria, Advocate with Mr. Aman Joon, Advocate; For the Petitioners (in both cases).
Mr. Anil Mehta, Senior Standing Counsel for Respondents-U.T. Chandigarh.

The court held that the Acquiring Authority did not meet the conditions for lapsing provisions under the Act of 2013, allowing the petitions for land compensation.

Headnote:(A) Land Acquisition Act, 1894 - Section 4 and Section 6 - Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 - Section 24(2) - Challenge to notifications and award related to land acquisition - The court found that the conditions set forth in the Indore Development Authority case were breached, allowing the petitions. (Paras 7, 11, 12)

(B) Previous Writ Petitions - The court noted the dismissal of earlier writ petitions and the liberty granted by the Apex Court to seek appropriate remedies. (Paras 5, 6)

Facts of the case:
The writ petitions challenged the validity of notifications and an award under the Land Acquisition Act, with claims of illegalities in the award process.

Findings of Court:
The court determined that the claim for lapsing provisions under Section 24(2) of the Act of 2013 was valid due to the timeline of possession and compensation deposit.

Issues: The main issue was whether the Acquiring Authority had met the required conditions for the lapsing provisions under the Act of 2013.

Ratio Decidendi: The court ruled that the Acquiring Authority failed to provide necessary evidence regarding the timeline of possession and compensation, thus entitling the petitioners to relief.

Result: Both writ petitions allowed.

JUDGMENT

Mr. Sureshwar Thakur, J. (Oral)

Since both the writ petitions arise from a common notification issued under section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act of 1894"), besides when they also appertain to common theretos award being passed, therefore, both the writ petitions are amenable for being decided through a common verdict.

2. The challenge made in the writ petitions, is to the validity, of the issuance of notification under Section 4 dated 28.06.1990, respectively carried in Annexure P-3 in CWP-14809-2018, and in Annexure P-2 in CWP-17068-2018; to the notification issued under Section 6 dated 24.06.1991, respectively carried in Annexure P-4, in CWP-14809-2018, and in Annexure P-3 in CWP-17068-2018, besides to the validity of the making of an award dated 21.06.1993, respectively carried in Annexure P-5 in CWP-14809-2018, and, in Annexure P-4 in CWP-17068-2018.

3. The writ petitioners had earlier filed CWP-6464-1995. The ground projected for a challenge being made to the said notifications (supra), became rested on the plank, that certain illegalities were occurring in the award, as became made in pursuance thereof.

4. When the said writ petition became listed before this Court, on 22.04.2004, thereupon this Court proceeded to make a declining order thereons, relevant portion whereof becomes extracted hereinafter.

    "As opposed to be above, there was the original Award itself which bears the signatures of the Land Acquisition Collector and also bears the date of announcement of the Award as June 21, 1993. The above contention is supported by the written statement of the Land Acquisition Collector. There is no reason to doubt that the Award had not been made and signed on June 21, 1993."

5. A reading of the above extracted operative portion of the verdict recorded by this Court on writ petition (supra), reveals that the challenge made in the writ petition (supra), did not succeed. Consequently, the writ petition (supra) became dismissed.

6. The dismissal of the said writ petition by this Court, on 22.04.2004, resulted in the aggrieved therefrom, filing Civil Appeal No.4766 of 2007 before the Hon'ble Apex Court. On the said civil appeal, the Hon'ble Apex Court after dismissing the said civil appeal, thus also assigned liberty to the appellants therein, to avail appropriate remedy before the appropriate forum insofar as, the relief claimed, rather in an application filed there before, thus relating to the appellants claiming the endowment of privilege qua them, vis-a-vis, the provisions carried in Section 24(2) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation And Resettlement Act, 2013 (hereinafter referred to as the "Act of 2013").

7. It is on the anvil of the above reserved liberty, vis-a-vis, the present petitioners, that the instant petitions have been filed, before this Court. Necessarily the relief claimed therein, is that, the mandate of the Hon'ble Apex Court, as declared in judgment rendered in case titled as "Indore Development Authority v. Manoharlal and Ors.", reported in (2020) 8 SCC 129, rather has been breached by the Acquiring Authority concerned.

8. Learned counsel for the petitioners argues, that the twin or the duo of conditions as set forth therein, in respect whereof affirmative discharging evidence, thus was required to be adduced by the Acquiring Authority concerned, rather has remains unadduced, inasmuch as;

    I) The acquiring Authority concerned, through a rapat assuming possession of the acquired lands, and, the said assumption of possession over the acquired lands, through a rapat being drawn, thus taking place or happening before the coming into force of the Act of 2013.

    ii) That the determination of compensation as made through an award passed in terms of Section 11 of the Act of 1894, thus becoming deposited in terms of Section 31 of the Act of 1894 rather before the learned Collector concerned, for thereby the same becoming

Click Here to Read the rest of this document
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top