Similarly situated landowners are entitled to compensation fixed in a final comparable acquisition judgment.

Land belonging to the appellants in Sy. No. 20/C, measuring 2 acres and 16 guntas at Kamanur village, was acquired for construction of a percolation tank following a preliminary notification under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, dated 26 October 2006.

The Land Acquisition Officer awarded ₹30,050 per acre; the Reference Court enhanced the amount to ₹1,70,000 per acre, and the District Court further enhanced it to ₹2,01,721 per acre.

The appellants sought enhancement to ₹3,80,000 per acre, relying on a coordinate Bench decision granting that rate in a land-acquisition matter concerning Halahalli village.

1. Whether the appellants were entitled to enhancement of compensation to ₹3,80,000 per acre on the basis of the coordinate Bench decision concerning similarly situated acquired land.

2. Whether the appellants were entitled to statutory benefits, costs, and interest, including interest for any delayed period.

The appeal was brought under Section 54(2) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

The acquisition arose under Section 4(1), and the claim for enhanced compensation had proceeded by reference under Section 18 of the Act.

The Court relied on the principle, applied in MSA No. 100164/2020 and the underlying MFA No. 102175/2017, that claimants whose lands are similarly situated may receive the enhanced market value granted in a concluded case, particularly where the relevant judgment has attained finality and the State does not dispute the asserted similarity.

The appellants relied on the coordinate Bench’s award of ₹3,80,000 per acre in a percolation-tank acquisition matter.

The State did not dispute the cited decision or the similarity of the cases.

Applying the principle that similarly situated claimants may receive the benefit of an enhanced valuation already granted by a competent court, the Court extended the same rate to the appellants’ land.

It separately excluded interest for the delayed period in accordance with the order on the delay-condonation application.

The market value of the appellants’ land in Sy. No. 20/C, measuring 2 acres and 16 guntas at Kamanur village, was fixed at ₹3,80,000 per acre.

The appellants were granted statutory benefits, costs, and interest, but no interest for the delayed period; the Registry was directed to draw the award accordingly.