Consent-award benefits under the Government Order must be extended to similarly placed landowners.

The petitioners’ lands were included in a final notification dated 15 December 2022 under Section 19(1) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. After a draft award was prepared, the petitioners submitted representations and affidavits consenting to an award at the Government-fixed rate of ₹40,00,000 per acre, but their request had not been considered.

The Court noted earlier proceedings concerning land losers under the same notification, including W.P. No. 107245 of 2023, a related contempt petition and writ appeal, and prior orders in W.P. Nos. 100331 and 106191 of 2024.

Section 19(1) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 governs the relevant final land-acquisition notification.

The Court applied the Government Order dated 9 October 2025 concerning consent awards and relied on its prior orders in W.P. Nos. 100331 and 106191 of 2024 to extend the applicable benefits to similarly situated petitioners.

It also referred to the direction in W.P. No. 107245 of 2023 to take action on the draft award in a time-bound manner.

The Court treated the petitioners as similarly situated to land losers whose claims had been considered in earlier proceedings concerning the same notification.

Given the petitioners’ representations and affidavits agreeing to the consent award, and the prior orders concerning the Government Order and award process, it directed that the petitioners receive the same benefits, if not already granted.

The Court did not independently determine the compensation amount; it directed the SLAO to act in accordance with the Government Order.

The petitioners were directed to appear before the concerned SLAO on 3 November 2026 at 11:00 a.m. The SLAO must act in accordance with the Government Order dated 9 October 2025 and disburse the award or consent-award amount as expeditiously as possible, and no later than eight weeks from their first appearance. The State may seek an extension for valid reasons; any departure from the direction would be viewed seriously.