Full Judgment Text
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NON-REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 3673 OF 2007
MADHUKANTA M. CHINCHANI & ORS. Appellant(s)
VERSUS
SPECIAL LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER & ANR. Respondent(s)
J U D G M E N T
KURIAN, J.
1. The appellants are aggrieved since they are not
granted just and fair land value in respect of the
land acquired from them. In the nature of the order
we propose to pass, we do not think it necessary to
go in detail to the factual matrix, which to the
extent relevant, is available at paragraph 4 of the
impugned Judgment, which reads as under :-
" In the present case the land under
JUDGMENT
acquisition is from the same cluster of lands
which was the subject matter of the same
award. The Land Acquisition Officer in his
award referred to the fact that the
Appellants' land has frontage on Mahatma
Phule Road and, therefore, valued the land of
the appellants at the rate of Rs. 60 per sq.
mt. as against Rs. 40 and Rs. 45 for the
lands which are the subject matter of LAR
Nos. 44 and 46 of 1978. Ordinarily the
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appellants would be entitled to compensation
at the same rate which was awarded by the
learned single Judge in LAR Nos. 44 and 46 of
1978. However, it is seen from the record
that the land of the appellants is much
larger compared to the properties involved in
the LAR Nos. 44 and 46 of 1978. The area of
the Appellants' land is 16,631 sq. mts. as
against the area of 7598 sq. mts. in LAR No.
44 of 1978 and 5440 sq. meters in LAR No. 46
of 1978. Having considered the submissions
made by the learned counsel for parties we
feel that deduction of 15% would be
appropriate and the price of Rs. 110 per sq.
meter can be safely estimated as market price
of the land under acquisition. The
appellants thus would be entitled to enhanced
JUDGMENT
compensation of Rs. 50 over and above the
compensation awarded by the SLAO along with
all the statutory benefits."
2. There is no dispute that the Land Acquisition
Officer had fixed only Rs. 40 and 45 for the lands
covered by LAR Nos. 44 and 46 of 1978, for which the
High Court has granted Rs. 130 per sq. meter. There
is also no dispute that those are adjoining lands.
It is also an admitted fact that the land of the
appellants has road frontage whereas that lands in
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LAR Nos. 44 and 46 of 1978 does not have that
advantage. The only reason stated by the High Court
in the impugned order for not granting Rs.130
sq.meters is that the land of the appellants is
16631.95 sq. meters, but it has to be seen that the
land covered by LAR Nos. 44 and 46 of 1978 which are
adjoining to that of the appellants are not very
small in size. They are having an area of 7598 sq.
meters and 5440 sq. meters. The advantage of road
frontage has missed the notice of the court.
3. Hence, we are of the view that on the principle
of parity, the High Court should have granted at
least Rs. 130/- per sq. meter, though the appellants
claimed Rs. 175/- per sq. meter before the Reference
Court and Rs. 300/- per sq. meter before the High
Court based on the report of the valuer of the
appellants.
JUDGMENT
4. Therefore, this appeal is partly allowed. The
appellants shall be entitled to the land value at the
rate of Rs. 130 per sq.meter with all other statutory
benefits. There shall be no order as to costs.
.......................J.
[ KURIAN JOSEPH ]
.......................J.
[ ROHINTON FALI NARIMAN ]
New Delhi;
January 21, 2016.
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