JUDGMENT

This is an appeal filed under Section 74 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 . The challenge is against an award dated 04.11.2025 rendered by the District Collector, Kollam, in his capacity as the Arbitrator under the National Highways Act, 1956 . Property of the appellants' predecessor was acquired for the purpose of widening of National Highway. Dissatisfied with the compensation awarded by the Competent Authority under the NH Act, the matter was further taken up in accordance with law to the Arbitrator, who passed the impugned award.

2. Section 74 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 reads as under:-

“74. Appeal to High Court.–(1) The Requiring Body or any person aggrieved by the Award passed by an Authority under section 69 may file an appeal to the High Court within sixty days from the date of Award:

Provided that the High Court may, if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal within the said period, allow it to be filed within a further period not exceeding sixty