Reason: Authentication Location: HIGH COURT OF ORISSA, CUTTACK Date: 27-Nov-2025 18:29:11 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK W.P.(C). No.28357 of 2025 Satrughan Majhi …. Petitioner Mr. Bijaya Kumar Behera-1, Advocate -versus-

State of Odisha and Others …. Opposite Parties Mr. Siba Narayan Biswal, Additional Standing Counsel CORAM:

JUSTICE K.R. MOHAPATRA JUSTICE SAVITRI RATHO

ORDER

26.11.2025 Order No.

02. 1. This matter is taken up through hybrid mode.

2. The grievance of the Petitioner, in this writ application, is with regard to inaction of the Special Land Acquisition Officer-cum-RRO, Lower Indra Irrigation Project, Khariar (Opposite Party No.3) in disposing of his application filed under section 28-A of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for brevity, ‘the Act’).

3. It is submitted by Mr. Behera, learned counsel for the Petitioner that LAR No.183 of 2010 of village Konabira in the District of Nuapada referred under section 18 of the Act was disposed of vide judgment dated 10^th February, 2023 enhancing the compensation. Since the land of the Petitioner was acquired under the same Notification No.1767 dated 9^th January, 2001 under section 4(1) of the Act, the Petitioner filed an application issued under section 28-A of the Act for redetermination of compensation for acquisition of his land in terms of judgment in LAR No.183 of 2010. The said application was not disposed of within a reasonable time for which the Petitioner has approached this Court in the present writ petition.

Reason: Authentication Location: HIGH COURT OF ORISSA, CUTTACK Date: 27-Nov-2025 18:29:11 Considering the grievance of the Petitioner, this Court vide Order dated 27^th October, 2025 directed learned State Counsel to take instruction with regard to current status of the petition filed by the Petitioner under section 28-A of the Act.

4. Mr. Biswal, learned Additional Standing Counsel, on receiving written instruction from the Opposite Party No.3, submits that the Government in the Department of Water Resources, Odisha, Bhubaneswar, has communicated the sanction order in connection with the judgment in LAR No.183 of 2010. Hence, the Special Land Acquisition Officer & RRO, Lower Indra Irrigation Project, Khariar vide his Letter No.2050 dated 21^st November, 2025 stated that large number of similar nature of cases are pending in the Office of the Opposite Party No.3 and thus cases are being dealt with serially. The written instruction of the Opposite Party No.3 vide Letter No.2050 dated 21^st November, 2025 filed by Mr. Biswal, learned Additional Standing Counsel is taken on record.

5. Considering the submissions made by the learned counsel for the parties, this Court finds that sanction order in connection with LAR No.183 of 2010 has already been received by Opposite Party No.3.

Hence, this Court without expressing any opinion on the merit of the case of the Petitioner in the application under section 28-A of the Act, disposes of the writ petition with a direction that the petition under section 28-A of the Act, filed by the Petitioner shall be disposed of in accordance with law, as expeditiously as possible, preferably by end of February, 2026 and decision thereof be communicated to the Petitioner forthwith. If the Petitioner is found to be entitled to the enhanced compensation in terms of judgment passed in LAR No.183 of 2010, then the differential amount along with other statutory dues Reason: Authentication Location: HIGH COURT OF ORISSA, CUTTACK Date: 27-Nov-2025 18:29:11 shall be released in favour of the Petitioner, as expeditiously as possible, preferably by end of June, 2026.

(K.R. Mohapatra)

(Savitri Ratho)

Rojalin