The court highlighted the procedural complications surrounding land acquisition compensation claims under applicable statutory provisions.

O R D E R

27.05.2025

1. Heard Mr. HRA Choudhury, learned Senior counsel assisted by Mr. FU Barbhuiya, learned counsel for the petitioners.

2. The grievance of the petitioner is that though while acquiring the land for construction of National Highway 37 between k.m. 4.560 to k.m. 24.560 (Silchar-Cachar), the land of the petitioners have been acquired, they have not been paid zirat compensation. Accordingly, they have filed representation seeking such zirat compensation.

3. A stand has been taken at paragraph No. 10 of the writ petition that such claim of the petitioners have been denied by the respondent No. 4, though there was a subsequent enquiry in this regard.

4. On the other hand, Mr. RK Talukdar, learned standing counsel for the NHIDCL, on instruction, submits that already award has been passed by the competent authority under Section 3G and therefore, at this stage the said authorities shall have no jurisdiction to entertain/ modify such award already passed.

5. Issue notice, returnable after four weeks.

6. Mr. SS Roy, learned CGC accepts notice on behalf of respondent No. 1, Mr. R Talukdar, learned standing counsel NHIDCL accepts notice on behalf of respondent No. 5, Mr. P Nayak, learned standing counsel for the PWD accepts notice on behalf of respondent Nos. 6 and 7, Mr. N Goswami, learned Govt. Advocate accepts notice on behalf of respondent Nos. 3 and 4 and Ms. G Hazarika, learned State counsel accepts notice on behalf of respondent No. 2. As all the parties are duly represented, no formal notice is required to be issued. However, extra copies of the writ petition, in required numbers, be furnished to them within a period of five days from today.