IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH (i) TA-1309-2025 (O&M)

Amritpal Singh and others ...Applicants VERSUS Union of India and another ...Respondents (ii) TA-1312-2025 (O&M)

Amritpal Singh and others ...Applicants VERSUS Union of India and another ...Respondents (iii) TA-1560-2025 (O&M)

Santosh Rani ...Applicant VERSUS National Highway Authority of India and others ...Respondents (iv) TA-1564-2025 (O&M)

Surjit Singh ...Applicant VERSUS National Highway Authority of India and others ...Respondents (v) TA-1566-2025 (O&M)

Sarabjit Singh and another ...Applicants VERSUS National Highway Authority of India and others ...Respondents (vi) TA-1568-2025 (O&M)

Satnam Kaur ...Applicant VERSUS National Highway Authority of India and others ...Respondents (vii) TA-1571-2025 (O&M)

Jagir Singh ...Applicant VERSUS National Highway Authority of India and others ...Respondents (viii) TA-1577-2025 (O&M)

Surjit Singh ...Applicant VERSUS National Highway Authority of India and others ...Respondents (ix) TA-1588-2025 (O&M)

Jarnail Singh ...Applicant VERSUS National Highway Authority of India and others ...Respondents (x) TA-1589-2025 (O&M)

Jagdish Singh and another ...Applicants VERSUS National Highway Authority of India and others ...Respondents (xi) TA-1591-2025 (O&M)

Robindeep Sandhu and another ...Applicants VERSUS National Highway Authority of India and others ...Respondents (xii) TA-1601-2025 (O&M)

Jamna Das and others ...Applicants VERSUS National Highway Authority of India and others ...Respondents (xiii) TA-1603-2025 (O&M)

Lakhwinder Singh alias Lakha Singh and another ...Applicants VERSUS National Highway Authority of India and others ...Respondents (xiv) TA-1616-2025 (O&M)

Rajinder Mohan Chhina alias Rajinder Mohan Singh and another ...Applicants VERSUS Union of India and others ...Respondents (xv) TA-1617-2025 (O&M)

Harbhajan Kaur since deceased through her LR ...Applicants VERSUS National Highway Authority of India and others ...Respondents (xvi) TA-1618-2025 (O&M)

Rajinder Mohan Chhina alias Rajinder Mohan Singh and others ...Applicants VERSUS Union of India and others ...Respondents (xvii) TA-1733-2025 (O&M)

Harjeet Kaur and another ...Applicants VERSUS National Highway Authority of India and others ...Respondents Date of Decision: February 25, 2026 CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ARCHANA PURI Present: Mr.Prateek Sodhi, Advocate for the applicants.

Mr.Samarth Sagar, Mr.R.S.Madaan and Mr.Mahender Joshi, Advocates for respondent-NHAI.

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ARCHANA PURI, J.

These are bunch of 17 transfer applications filed by the land owners, whose lands situated, within the jurisdiction of Amritsar were acquired. The said land owners are seeking transfer of the petitions filed under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, instituted by the respondent(s), in the Court of Addl. District Judge, Jalandhar and they seek transfer of the same, to the Court of competent jurisdiction at Amritsar.

For the convenience of discussion, TA-1309-2025 is taken as lead case and the facts of the same are taken, hereinafter, as all the applications seeking transfer of the objection petitions, have commonality of facts, vis-a-vis, passing the Awards as well as the objections filed and pendency thereof, and the applicable law.

The lands of the applicants situated in District Amritsar, were notified for acquisition by issuance of notification under Section 3-A of the National Highway Authority Act, 1956 and same were acquired. Award No.3 dated 15.04.2021 was passed. However, being aggrieved, the applicants questioned the adequacy of the compensation awarded and preferred reference petitions under Section 3(g) (5) of the 1956 Act, before the Commissioner, Jalandhar, which were partly allowed vide Award dated 03.12.2024. Still not satisfied with the extent of compensation awarded, the applicants filed the objection petitions under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act before learned District Judge, Amritsar. Therein, the respondents made appearance.

During the pen