HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE ABHINAND KUMAR SHAVILI AND HON’BLE SMT. JUSTICE TIRUMALA DEVI EADA APPEAL SUIT NO.1772 OF 2004 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 appellants – claimants, aggrieved by the order and decree dated 13.12.2000 passed in O.P.No.39 of 1997 by the learned Senior Civil Judge at Nalgonda (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 Mandal Revenue Officer has identified the land of the claimants as suitable for the allotment of house sites, from 155 beneficiaries and accordingly, the proposal was submitted to the Government. The draft notification under Section 4(1) of the Act was published in the gazette on 07.03.1996. After conducting due enquiry, the Land Acquisition Officer has awarded Rs.11,000/- per acre. Aggrieved by the said award, the appellants have made an application under Section 18 of the Act, which was referred to the learned Senior Civil Judge, Nalgonda.

4. The referen