2021 Supreme(MP) 684

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
Sanjay Dwivedi, J.
Kewal Kumar Jaggi & Others v. State of M.P. & Others
Miscellaneous Petition No. 2493 of 2021 (Jabalpur);
Decided on 17.11.2021.

Headnote:

¼1½ Òwfe&vtZu vfèkfu;e] 1894 && èkkjk 11] 12 rFkk 18 && Òwfe vtZu] iquokZlu v©j iquO;ZoLFkkiu esa mfpr çfrdj v©j ikjnf'kZrk vfèkdkj vfèkfu;e] 2013 && èkkjk 13 rFkk 23 && 2013 ds vfèkfu;e ds mica/kksa dk ykxw gksuk && çfrdj 1894 d¢ vfèkfu;e d¢ micaèk¨a d¢ vèkhu vfèkfu.kÊr && çkf/kdkfj;ksa }kjk 1894 d¢ vfèkfu;e dh èkkjk 18 d¢ vèkhu funsZ'k && çfrdj dh jkf'k dh x.kuk d¢ fy, 2013 d¢ vfèkfu;e d¢ micaèk ykxw g¨us d¢ lacaèk esa vkifÙk ;kph d¨ miyC/k ugÈ D;¨afd ;kph d¨ funsZ'k çLrqr djus d¢ fy, mPpre U;k;ky; }kjk Lora=rk nh xà gSA ¼iSjk 8
¼2½ Òwfe vtZu vfèkfu;e] 1894 && èkkjk 11] 18 rFkk 25 && j{kk ladeZ vfèkfu;e] 1903 && èkkjk 18 rFkk 25 && çfrdj dh jkf'k de fd, tkus d¢ fy, funsZ'k && U;k;ky; }kjk vfèkfu.kÊr çfrdj dh jde dysDVj }kjk vfèkfu.kÊr çfrdj ls de ugÈ g¨xh && ;fn vfèkfu.kÊr çfrdj dh jkf'k d¢ fo#) funsZ'k ml jde dks de djus d¢ fy, fd;k tkrk gS rks 1894 d¢ vfèkfu;e dh èkkjk 25] ,oa 1903 d¢ vfèkfu;e dh èkkjk 25 d¢ n`f"Vd¨.k ls Òh] og funsZ'k fu"Qy ç;¨x ds flok; dqN ugÈA
vfÒfuèkkZfjr% ;|fi] ;fn ge vfèkfu;e 1894 dh èkkjk 18 ,oa 25 ,d lkFk iढ+sa rc ;g Li"V gksrk gS fd èkkjk 25 esa ;g fucZfUèkr gS fd dysDVj }kjk vfèkfu.kÊr jde d¨ de ugÈ fd;k tk ldrk v©j Lo;a j{kk ladeZ vfèkfu;e esa Òh mi;qZä fucZa/ku miyC/k gS rFkk] bl çdkj] n¨u¨a micaèk leku gSa] blfy, ;fn çfrdj dh ek=k d¢ lacaèk esa vlgefr n'kkZrs gq, mls de djus dh çkFkZuk djrs gq, funsZ'k fd;k tkrk gS rks og vFkZghu] v©j fu"Qy ç;¨x Òh] g¨xkA ¼iSjk 9 ,oa 13
¼3½ Òwfe vtZu vfèkfu;e] 1894 && èkkjk 3 ¼[k½] 18 rFkk 50 &&j{kk ladeZ vfèkfu;e] 1903 && èkkjk 2 ¼[k½ && fgrc) O;fä && çfrdj ds fuèkkZj.k ds fy,] ftl LFkkuh; çkfèkdj.k ;k daiuh d¢ fy, Òwfe vftZr dh xà gS og dsoy bl lhek rd fgrc) O;fä gS fd mls dysDVj ;k U;k;ky; d¢ le{k milatkr g¨dj viuk i{k j[kus dk vfèkdkj gS && ijarq èkkjk 18 d¢ vèkhu funsZ'k çLrqr djus d¢ fy, ugÈA
vfÒfuèkkZfjr% esjk er gS fd mPpre U;k;ky; v©j mPp U;k;ky; us vfÒO;fä *fgrc) O;fä* dk ç;¨x l{ke çkfèkdkjh }kjk çfrdj dk fuèkkZj.k fd, tkus dh lhek rd fd;k gSA bl igyw ij d¨Ã fookn ugÈ gS fd Òwfe ds vtZu d¢ i'pkr~ ;fn l{ke çkfèkdkjh }kjk çfrdj dk fuèkkZj.k fd;k tkrk gS r¨ ftlds fy, Òwfe vftZr dh xà gS og fgrc) O;fä gS v©j mls ;g ns[kus dk iw.kZ vfèkdkj gS fd l{ke çkfèkdkjh }kjk çfrdj dh lax.kuk mfpr jhfr ls dh tk jgh gS ;k ugÈA mUgsa lqus tkus ,oa viuk i{k j[kus dk iw.kZ vfèkdkj gS vkSj bl çdkj og l{ke çkfèkdkjh d¢ le{k mfpr i{kdkj gSa D;¨afd 1894 d¢ vfèkfu;e dh èkkjk 3 ¼[k½ rFkk j{kk ladeZ vfèkfu;e dh èkkjk 2 ¼[k½ esa micafèkr vfÒO;fä d¢ vuqlkj og fgrc) O;fä gSaA ¼iSjk 9
tc Òwfe Lokeh }kjk funsZ'k fd;k tkrk gS rc daiuh Òh mfpr i{kdkj gS rkfd og viuk i{k j[k ld¢ ;k lk{; çLrqr dj ld¢ ftlls mfpr jhfr ls çfrdj dk fuèkkZj.k fd;k tk, ijarq cढ+k;k ugÈ tk, D;¨afd varr% jde mls lank; djuk g¨rh gSA bld¢ vfrfjä] 1894 d¢ vfèkfu;e dh èkkjk 50 esa] ftl LFkkuh; çkfèkdj.k ;k daiuh d¢ fy, Òwfe vftZr dh xà gS mls] dysDVj d¢ le{k ;k U;k;ky; d¢ le{k milatkr g¨us v©j çfrdj d¢ fuèkkZj.k d¢ ç;kstu ds fy, lk{; çLrqr djus dk vfèkdkj fn;k x;k gS] ijarq ml mica/k esa LFkkuh; çkfèkdj.k ;k daiuh }kjk èkkjk 18 d¢ vuqlkj funsZ'k fd, tkus dk fofufnZ"V otZu cgqr Li"V :i ls fd;k x;k gS] ftlls Li"V baxr gksrk gS fd tgk¡ rd LFkkuh; çkfèkdj.k ;k daiuh dk lacaèk gS] og fgrc) O;fä d¢oy bl lhek rd gS fd mUgsa dysDVj d¢ le{k ;k U;k;ky; d¢ le{k milatkr g¨dj viuk i{k j[kus dk vfèkdkj gS] ijarq èkkjk 18 d¢ vuqlkj funsZ'k çLrqr djus ds fy, ugÈ gSA ¼iSjk 9
¼4½ Òwfe vtZu vfèkfu;e] 1894 && èkkjk 18] 25 rFkk 50 && funsZ'k pykus ;¨X; g¨uk && ftl LFkkuh; çkfèkdj.k ;k daiuh d¢ fy, Òwfe vftZr dh xà mlds }kjk funsZ'k && çfrdj dh jde de fd, tkus d¢ fy, && pykus ;¨X; ugÈA
vfÒfuèkkZfjr% bl çdkj] esjh jk; gS fd fupys U;k;ky; us ekeys d¢ bl fof'k"V igyw ij fopkj ugÈ fd;k gS rFkk viuk euu dsoy bl rd lhfer j[kk gS fd j{kk ladeZ vfèkfu;e dh èkkjk 2 ¼[k½ esa ;Fkk micafèkr fgrc) O;fä dh ifjHkk"kk esa og O;fä lfEefyr gS ftld¢ vuqj¨èk ij Òwfe vftZr dh xà gS] v©j bl çdkj ;g fu"d"kZ fudkyk gS fd mld¢ vuqj¨èk ij funsZ'k pykus ;¨X; gSA ijUrq iwo¨Zä iSjkv¨a esa fd, x, foospu dh n`f"V ls fupys U;k;ky; dk mä fu"d"kZ fofèk dh n`f"V ls fLFkj j[ks tkus ;¨X; ugÈ gSA ¼iSjk 15
bl çdkj] bl U;k;ky; d¨ ;g vfÒfuèkkZfjr djus esa d¨Ã lad¨p ugÈ gS fd çR;FkÊx.k@çkfèkdkfj;¨a d¢ vuqj¨èk ij n'ke vij ftyk U;k;kèkh'k] tcyiqj d¢ le{k jftLVªhd`r ,e ts lh Øekad 283@2021 funZs'k pykus ;¨X; ugÈ gS] blfy, og pykus ;¨X; ugha g¨us d¢ dkj.k [kkfjt fd;k tkrk gSA ifj.kker%] mä funsZ'k dk;Zokgh esa ikfjr vkns'k fnukad 20-7-2021 ¼mikca/k&ih@18½ vikLr fd;k tkrk gSA , vkb vkj 1986 ,l lh 1164] 1987 ,e ih ,y ts 535] ¼2011½ 7 ,l lh lh 639] ¼2009½ 16 ,l lh lh 1] ¼1994½ 6 ,l lh lh 74] ¼1980½ 3 ,l lh lh 223] ¼1994½ 4 ,l lh lh 737] ¼1993½ 1 ,l lh lh 608] , vkb vkj 1966 ,l lh 237 rFkk ¼1995½ 1 ,l lh lh 221 fufnZ"VA ¼iSjk 18

(1) Land Acquisition Act, 1894 -- Ss. 11, 12, and 18 -- Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 -- Ss. 13 and 23 — applicability of provisions of Act, 2013 -- compensation awarded under provisions of Act, 1894 -- reference by authorities under section 18 of Act, 1894 -- objection with regard to applicability of provisions of Act, 2013 for computation of compensation amount is not available to petitioner because Supreme Court has granted liberty to petitioner to file reference. [ Para 8

(2) Land Acquisition Act, 1894 -- Ss. 11, 18 and 25 -- Works of Defence Act, 1903 -- Ss. 18 and 25 -- reference for reduction of amount of compensation -- amount of compensation awarded by Court shall not be less than compensation awarded by Collector -- if reference is made against amount of awarded compensation asking same be reduced, reference is nothing but futile exercise in view of section 25 of Act, 1894 and section 25 of Act, 1903 also.

Held : Although, if we read sections 18 and 25 of the Act, 1894 conjointly then it is clear that section 25 puts a restriction that the amount awarded by the Collector cannot be reduced and in the WODA itself, the said restriction is also available and as such, both the provisions are identical, ergo, if a reference showing disagreement in regard to quantum of compensation is made making a prayer therein to reduce it, the same would be meaningless and also a futile exercise. [ Paras 9 & 13

(3) Land Acquisition Act, 1894 -- Ss. 3(b), 18 and 50 -- Works of Defence Act, 1903 -- 2 (b) -- person interested -- for determination of compensation, local authority or Company for whom land is acquired is person interested, only to extent that they have right to appear before Collector or Court to put up their stand -- but not for raising reference as per section 18.

Held :I am of the view that the Supreme Court and the High Court have used the expression ‘person interested’ to the extent when the compensation is determined by the competent authority. There is no dispute to that aspect that after acquisition of the land, if compensation is determined by the competent authority for whom the land is acquired, is a person interested and has every right to see whether the computation of compensation is being made by the competent authority in a proper manner or not. They have every right to be heard or to put up their stand and as such, they are the proper parties before the competent authority as they are the person interested as per the expression provided under section 3(b) of the Act, 1894 and section 2(b) of the WODA. [Para 9

When the reference is made by the land owner, the Company is also a proper party so as to put up their stand or to adduce evidence so that the compensation could be determined in a proper manner, but not on a higher side because ultimately the amount has to be paid by them. Further, section 50 of the Act, 1894 gives right to a local authority or Company for whom the land is acquired to appear before the Collector or before the Court and to adduce evidence for the purpose of determining the compensation, but that provision very clearly provides a specific bar for making reference by the local authority or Company as per section 18 which clearly indicates that the person interested so far as it relates to local authority or Company is concerned, the same is only to the extent that they have a right to appear before the Collector or before the Court to put up their stand, but not for raising a reference as per section 18. [Para 9

(4) Land Acquisition Act, 1894 -- Ss. 18, 25 and 50 -- maintainability of reference -- reference by local authority or Company for whom land acquired -- for reduction of amount of compensation -- not maintainable.

Held: Thus, I am of the opinion that the Court below has not dealt with this particular aspect of the matter and confined its observation only to the extent that the definition of person interested as provided under section 2(b) of the WODA includes the person at whose instance, the land is acquired and as such, reached at a conclusion that the reference at their instance is maintainable, but in view of the discussion made in the preceding paragraphs, the said finding of the Court below is not sustainable in the eyes of law. [Paras 10 to 14 & 15

Thus, this Court has no hesitation to hold that the reference at the instance of the respondents/Authorities which is registered as MJC No.283/2021 before the Tenth Additional District Judge, Jabalpur is not tenable, therefore, the same is hereby dismissed as not maintainable. Consequently, the order dated 26.7.2021 (Annexure-P/18) passed in the said reference proceeding is set aside. AIR 1986 SC 1164, 1987 MPLJ 535, (2011) 7 SCC 639, (2009) 16 SCC 1, (1994) 6 SCC 74, (1980) 3 SCC 223, (1994) 4 SCC 737, (1993) 1 SCC 608, AIR 1966 SC 237 and (1995) 1 SCC 221 referred to. [Para 18