Back
2011 Supreme(UK) 490
2011 (2) UAD 727
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
R.V. Raveendran, H.L. Gokhale and Hon’ble Mrs. Justice Gyan Sudha Misra
Civil Appeal No. 7784 of 2011
AMBYA KALYA MHATRA (D) BY LRS. & ORS. – Appellants
Versus
STATE OF MAHARASHTRA – Respondent
Decided on : 12.09.2011
Subject
Land Acquisition - Compensation
Act Referred
LAND ACQUISITION ACT : S.18, S.23
Headnote
(B) Land Acquisition Act, 1894, Sec. 18 — Reference — Scope — Increase in compensation for only land, u/s 18 of the Act — A land owner can also seek increase in compensation for trees, structures etc.
(Paras 8, 13, 21 and 22)
(C) Land Acquisition Act, 1894, Sec. 18 (Sub-section (3) added in Maharashtra) — Provision — Scope — That the Land Acquisition Collector shall be deemed to be a Court subordinate to High Court, only for the limited purpose of enabling a revision u/s 115 of Civil Code to be filed against the order of the Collector u/s 18 of L.A. Act — And not for other purposes. (Para 12)
(D) Land Acquisition Act, 1894, Sec. 23 — Compensation — If value of land had been determined on the basis of sale statistics — Or compensation awarded for an orchard — Then there is no question of again making any addition of value of trees. (Paras 8, 21 and 22)
¼v½ Hkwfe vf/kxzg.k vf/kfu;e] 1894] /kkjk 18 & ds vUrxZr funsZ'k izkFkZuk i= nk;j fd;k x;k ftlesa la'kks/ku dh LohÑfr dh izkFkZuk dh xbZ & izfrdj esa o`f) ds nkos ds okLrs vkns'k 6] fu;e 17 CPC esa fufgr lkekU; fl)kUr] la'kks/ku ds izkFkZuk i= ij fopkj djus gsrq ykxw gksrs gSa & vkSj dksbZ O;fDr tks ,okMZ dks Lohdkj ugha djrk gS rks fyf[kr izkFkZuk i= ds }kjk Hkwfe v/;kfIr vf/kdkjh dks ekeys esa vko';d dk;Zokgh djus gsrq] izfrdj dh x.kuk gsrq] fuEukafdr vk/kkj ij izkFkZuk djuh pkfg, & (a) Hkwfe dh iSek;'k ls lEcfU/kr vkifÙk & (b) izfrdj dh /kujkf'k ls lEcfU/kr vkifÙk & (c) mu O;fDr;ksa ls lEcfU/kr vkifÙk ftUgsa izfrdj dk Hkqxrku gksuk gS & (d) mu O;fDr;ksa ds fgLls ds okLrs ftudk izfrdj esa fgr lfEefyr gSA ¼izLrj 8] 10 ls 20½
¼c½ Hkwfe vf/kxzg.k vf/kfu;e] 1894] /kkjk 18 & funsZ'k & foLrkj & /kkjk 18 ds vUrxZr ek= Hkwfe ds okLrs izfrdj esa c<+ksÙkjh dh tkrh gS & ,d Hkw&Lokeh viuh Hkwfe esa [kMs+ isM+ksa vkSj edkuksa vkfn ds vk/kkj ij izfrdj esa o`f) dh ekax dj ldrk gSA
¼izLrj 8] 13] 21 vkSj 22½
¼l½ Hkwfe vf/kxzg.k vf/kfu;e] 1894] /kkjk 18 mi/kkjk ¼3½ ¼egkjk"Vª esa tksM+h xbZ gS½ & dk izkfo/kku vkSj mldk foLrkj & ;g fd Hkwfe v/;kfIr dysDVj dks mPp U;k;ky; dk v/khuLFk U;k;ky;] dsoy ,d lhek rd] /kkjk 115 CPC ds vUrxZr iqujh{k.k ;kfpdk dysDVj ds vkns'k /kkjk 18 Hkwfe lq/kkj vf/kfu;e ds rgr] ekuk tk,xk vkSj vU; mn~ns';ksa ds okLrs ughaA ¼izLrj 12½
¼n½ Hkwfe vf/kxzg.k vf/kfu;e] 1894] /kkjk 23 & izfrdj & ;fn Hkwfe dh dher] fcØh&vkadMsokjh ds vk/kkj ij vkadfyr dh xbZ gS vFkok izfrdj Qy m|ku ds okLrs LohÑr fd;k x;k gS rks isM+ksa ds ewY; dks iqu% tksMs+ tkus dk iz'u gh ugha mBrkA ¼izLrj 8] 21 vkSj 22½
For the Respondent:Mr. Arun R., Pendeker, Mr. Sanjay V. Kharde, Ms. Asha Gopalan Nair, Advocates
R.V. Raveendran, J.—Lcave granted.
2. Lands belonging to Ambya Kalya Mhatre (A.K. Mhatre’ for short, now represented by his LRs.) situated at Dapoli village, Panve! taluk, Raigad district, bearing Sy. Nos. 89/1, 85/1, 27/1, 41/1B, 41/lA, 152/3, 155/7, 18/7, 89/3, 23/2 and 99/1 in all measuring 1.736 Hectares (17360 sq.m.) with a large number of fruit bearing trees and a well therein, were acquired for New Bombay project in pursuance of preliminary notification dated 3.2.1970 (read with corrigendum dated 5.9.1970) and final notification dated 29.7.1979.
3. The special Land Acquisition Officer (for short ‘the Collector’) awarded the following compensation by award dated 4.7.1986:
S. Description Market value Solatium Additional amount Total
No. (30%) @ 12% per annum
l. Land Rs. 24,898.32 Rs. 7469.49 Rs. 49,049.69 Rs. 81,417.50
2. Trees Rs. 83,629.00 Rs. 25,088.70 Rs. 1,65,586.40 Rs. 2,74,303.10
3. Well Rs. 500.00 Rs. 150.00 Rs. 990.00 Rs. 1,640.00
Possession of the land was taken on 9.9.1986. Not being satisfied with the compensation awarded, A.K. Mhatre made an application dated 10.11.1986 under section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (‘Act’ for short) to the Special Land Acquisition Officer (also referred as ‘Collector’ or ‘LAO’) seeking a reference to a District Court for enhancement of compensation by Rs.90,273/- in regard to the acquired lands and paid a court fee of Rs. 1610/- in regard to the increase demanded. In pursuance of the said request, a reference was made to the Civil Court by the LAO on 25.11.1986. During the pendency of the reference before the reference court, A.K. Mhatre died and his legal representatives came on record on 30.9.1988.
4. The appellants made an application on 13.9.1990 before the Reference Court seeking following amendments to the application for reference :
(i) As against the compensation of Rs. 24,898.32 for the entire land (at the rate Rs. 6500, Rs.7000 and Rs. 7500 per acre for different kinds of land) awarded by the LAO, and the compensation claimed at the rate of Rs. 50,000/- per acre in regard to some of the lands, in the application seeking reference, the appellants sought compensation of Rs. 3,47,200/- for the acquired lands measuring 17360 sq.m. (at the rate of Rs.20 per sq.m.) that is an increase of Rs. 3,22,302/-.
(ii) As against the compensation of Rs. 83,629/- awarded for the trees, the appellants sought Rs. 10,48,400/-, that is an increase of Rs. 9,64,771/-. (The appellant had not sought any increase in regard to trees in the application for reference).
(iii) As against the compensation of Rs.500/- awarded for the well, the appellants sought Rs. 50,000/-, that is an increase of Rs. 49,500/- (Note; The appellant had not sought any increase in regard to the well in the application seeking reference).
The appellants thus sought in all Rs. 43,83,959/- towards additional compensation with solatium and additional amount. The appellants also paid the additional court fee for the increase in the claim. The reason given in the application for amendment seeking increase was that A.K. Mhatre was not then in a position to pay the court fee on a higher claim, and had therefore restricted the claim for a lesser amount in the application for reference.
5. The said application for amendment was allowed by the Reference Court on 19.9.1990 and the claims in the reference application were modified as per the amendment application. After evidence, the Reference Court by award dated 2.5.1991, determined the compensation as Rs. 1,21.520/- (at Rs.7/- per sq.m.) for the land, Rs. 4,46,600/- for the trees and Rs. 2,000/- for the well, with statutory benefits. This works out to an increase of Rs. 96,631/- for the land, Rs. 3,62,971/- for the trees and Rs. 1500/- for the well. Both sides were aggrieved by the judgment and award of the Reference Court. The appellants filed Ap. No. 104/1992 seeking further increase and the LAO filed FA No. 226/19
