HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE ABHINAND KUMAR SHAVILI AND HON’BLE SMT. JUSTICE TIRUMALA DEVI EADA JUDGMENT: (per Hon’ble Smt. Justice Tirumala Devi Eada)

This appeal, under Section 54 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, (for short ‘the Act’) is preferred by the Land Acquisition Officer, Nizamabad, aggrieved by the judgment and decree dated 02.03.2016 passed in L.A.O.P.No.681 of 2012 by the learned I Additional District Judge at Nizamabad (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Reference Court’).

2. For convenience and clarity, the parties herein are referred to as they were arrayed before the Reference Court.

3. The facts of the case in brief are that the Revenue Divisional Officer-cum-Land Acquisition Officer has acquired Ac.09-00 guntas of land in survey Nos.349, 350, 351, 352 and 363, situated at Khanapur village of Armoor Mandal for the purpose of house sites to the weaker sections. The draft notification under Section 4(1) of the Act was published in the Gazette on 26.02.2010. After conducting due enquiry, the Land Acquisition Officer has awarded Rs.1,02,950/- per acre. Aggrieved by the said award, the claimants have made an application and the same was referred under Section 18 of the Act to the