Supreme Court of India (Division Bench (DB)- Two Judge)

Appeal (Civil), 10831 of 2016, Judgment Date: Nov 29, 2016

                                                                  REPORTABLE
                             IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
                               CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

                            CIVIL APPEAL NO.10831 OF 2016
                     [ARISING OUT OF SLP (CIVIL) NO.22231 OF 2015)


ASHOK KUMAR & ORS.                                          .…APPELLANTS

                                   VERSUS


UNION OF INDIA & ANR.                                    ....RESPONDENTS


                                    WITH

CIVIL APPEAL NO.10832 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.22232/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10833 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.22233/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10834 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.22238/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10835 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.22239/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10836 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.30715/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10838 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.32064/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10839 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.32065/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10840 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.32066/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10843 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.32059/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10844 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.30714/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10845 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.23491/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10846 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.22229/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10847 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.31571/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10848 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.27290/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10849 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.29681/2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO.10850 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) NO.12343/2015

                               J U D G M E N T

AMITAVA ROY, J.

      Heard Mr. Arvind Kumar Sharma, learned counsel for the appellants  and
Mr. R. Balasubramaniam, Mr. Vishnu B. Saharya, Ms.  Rachna  Srivastava,  Ms.
Shashi Kiran, Mr. Ashwani Kumar, Mr. Govind Goel  and  Ms.  Garima  Prashad,
learned counsel for the respondents.

(A)   C.A. No. 10838 of 2016 @ SLP (C) No.32064 of 2015, C.A. No.  10839  of
2016 @ SLP (C) No.32065 of 2015, C.A. No. 10840 of 2016 @ SLP  (C)  No.32066
of 2015 and C.A. No. 10843 of 2016 @ SLP (C) No.32059 of 2015


(2)   It is submitted at the Bar, that the verdict rendered  by  this  Court
in Civil Appeal No.1726 of 2015 (dated 18.03.2015) – Suresh  Prasad  @  Hari
Kishan & Ors. Vs. Union of India & Anr., deciding  the  same  along  with  a
batch of appeals would adequately answer the issues raised  herein,  as  the
all relevant facets  i.e.  location  of  the  land  in  village  Masoodabad,
notifications for acquisition under the  Land  Acquisition  Act,  1894  (for
short, the 'Act') as well as the quantification of the compensation  awarded
by the Land Acquisition Officer, Reference Court  and  the  High  Court  are
same. In this view of the matter further dilation  of  individual  facts  is
considered inessential.

(3)   On a consideration of the explanation offered, the delay  involved  in
preferring the appeals, in the singular facts and circumstances,  is  hereby
condoned. The amount of compensation as granted  by  this  Court  in  Suresh
Prasad (supra) is also awarded to the appellants i.e. Rs.24 lacs  per  acre.
Needless to say, the appellants would be entitled to all statutory  benefits
under the Act including interest as payable in terms of the above decision.

(B)   C.A. No. 10831 of 2016  @ SLP(C) No.22231/2015,

    C.A. NO.10832 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) No.22232/2015,

    C.A. NO.10833 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) No.22233/2015,

    C.A. NO.10834 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) No.22238/2015,

    C.A. NO.10835 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) No.22239/2015,

    C.A. NO.10836 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) No.30715/2015,

    C.A. NO.10844 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) No.30714/2015,

    C.A. NO.10845 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) No.23491/2015,

    C.A. NO.10846 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) No.22229/2015 and

    C.A. NO.10847 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) No.31571/2015.


(4)   It is submitted at the Bar that the ruling  by  this  Court  in  Civil
Appeal Nos.10982-11033 of 2014 (dated 11.12.2014)  –  Charan  Singh  &  Ors.
Etc. Vs. Union of India & Anr., deciding the same  along  with  a  batch  of
appeals would adequately address  the  issues  raised  herein,  as  the  all
relevant facets i.e. location of the land in village Bamnoli,  notifications
for acquisition  under  the  Act  as  well  as  the  quantification  of  the
compensation awarded by the Land Acquisition Officer,  Reference  Court  and
the High Court are same. In this view of  the  matter  further  dilation  of
individual facts is considered inessential.

(5)   On a consideration of the explanation offered, the delay  involved  in
preferring the appeals, in the singular facts and circumstances,  is  hereby
condoned. The amount of compensation as granted  by  this  Court  in  Charan
Singh (supra) is also awarded to the appellants i.e.  Rs.25  lacs  per  acre
for land in Block 'A' and Rs.22  lacs  per  acre  for  land  in  Block  'B'.
Needless to say, the appellants would be  entitled  all  statutory  benefits
under the Act including interest as payable in terms of the above decision.

(C)   C.A. NO.10848 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) No.27290/2015, C.A. NO.10849 OF 2016  @
SLP(C) No.29681/2015 and C.A. NO.10850 OF 2016 @ SLP(C) No.12343/2015.


(6)   It is submitted at the Bar that the decision rendered  by  this  Court
in Civil Appeal No. 2091 of 2014 (dated 13.02.2014)  –  Impulse  India  Pvt.
Ltd. Vs. Union of India & Anr., deciding the same  along  with  a  batch  of
other appeals would adequately cover the issues raised herein,  as  the  all
relevant facets i.e. location of the land  in  village  Bijwasan,  Pochanpur
and Bharthal, notifications for acquisition under the  Act as  well  as  the
quantification of the compensation awarded by the Land Acquisition  Officer,
Reference Court and the High Court are same. In  this  view  of  the  matter
further dilation of individual facts is considered inessential.

(7)   On a consideration of the explanation offered, the delay  involved  in
preferring the appeals, in the singular facts and circumstances,  is  hereby
condoned. The amount of compensation as granted by  this  Court  in  Impulse
India Pvt. Ltd. (supra) is also awarded to the appellants  i.e.  Rs.21  lacs
per acre for land in Block 'A' and Rs.19 lacs per acre  for  land  in  Block
'B'. Needless to  say,  the  appellants  would  be  entitled  all  statutory
benefits under the Act including interest as payable in terms of  the  above
decision.

(8)   The appeals had been analogously heard and have thus been disposed  of
in the above terms. Costs easy.


                            .............................................J.
                                                         (DIPAK MISRA)


                               ….........................................J.
                                                         (AMITAVA ROY)
NEW DELHI;
NOVEMBER 29, 2016.