Judgment

Srikrishna, J.—These seven appeals by special leave impugn the common judgment rendered by the Division Bench of the Punjab & Haryana High Court dismissing a group of writ petitions challenging the acquisition proceedings under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Act’). The principal contention in the writ petitions before the High Court was that the acquisition proceedings were vitiated by discrimination and arbitrariness and, thus, violative of the Fundamental Rights under Article 14 of the Constitution of India. Although, seven appeals have been filed in this Court, the arguments were addressed by the learned senior counsel appearing for the appellant in Civil Appeal No. 5591 of 1999 in the matter of M/s. Anand Buttons Ltd. v. State of Haryana & Ors. The counsel for the other appellants have adopted the arguments addressed in the said case.

Facts :

2. With a view to achieve the goal of rapid industrialization of the State, the State of Haryana constituted the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation as a nodal agency for the development of industrial infrastructure in the State. New integrated industrial parks and estates were developed