COMMON ORDER

The acquisition of lands for the purpose of four laning/widening the Pondicherry-Tindivanam Section of NH-66, which has resultantly ended in the passing of award and receipt of compensation by the concerned petitioners, is put in issue before this Court, in the present batch of writ petitions, questioning the said acquisition on the ground that the said acquisition is not only covered by the Gazette Notification, but also acquired with mala fide intent and, therefore, the acquisition is bad in law and deserves interference by directing the respondents to return the land and receive back the compensation paid to the petitioners pursuant to the passing of the award.

2. Initially the writ petitions were filed questioning the validity of the acquisition and, thereafter, miscellaneous petitions were filed in W.P. Nos.15155 to 15163 and 18917/2010 for amending the prayer which questioned the validity of Sections 3-A, C-3, C-D, 3-F and 3-J of the National Highways Act, which, on amendment, were placed before the Division Bench of this Court, since the validity of provisions of a statute were put in issue and before the Division, Bench, the petitioners in the said petitions soug