JUDGMENT :

HARKESH MANUJA, J. 

Vide this common order, a bunch of 15 Regular First Appeals, details of which are given in the footnote of this judgment are being decided as all the appeals have arisen out of common acquisition/award involving common facts and question of law. For the sake of brevity, facts are being culled out from RFA-3719-2018.

2. By way of present appeal, challenge has been laid to the judgment dated 22.03.2018 passed by the learned Reference Court-cum- Additional District Judge, Rupnagar, whereby the reference petition filed under Section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Act’) by the appellants-landowners, seeking enhancement of compensation was partly allowed.

3. Briefly stating, land measuring 35 kanals 1 marla and 3 sirsai, situated within the revenue estate of Village Bari Railon, District Rupnagar, was acquired for the public purpose namely, for “construction of Ropar Byepass” vide notifications dated 03.03.2010 and 30.07.2010 issued under Sections 4 and 6 respectively of the Act. The Land Acquisition Collector (for short ‘LAC’) passed Award No.12 dated 07.02.2011 assessing the market value at the rate of Rs.40,00,000/- per