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NON-REPORTABLE

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL  NO(S).  10044 OF 2018 [@ SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (C) NO. 8343 OF 2018]

PATTIPATI VENKATESWARLY NAIDU                Appellant(s)

                               VERSUS

THE SPECIAL DEPUTY COLLECTOR (L.A.)          Respondent(s)

CIVIL APPEAL  NO(S).  10036 OF 2018 [@ SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (C) NO. 315 OF 2018]

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL  NO(S).  10039 OF 2018 [@ SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (C) NO. 4590 OF 2018]

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL  NO(S).  10042 OF 2018 [@ SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (C) NO. 6016 OF 2018]

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL  NO(S).  10047 OF 2018 [@ SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (C) NO. 6017 OF 2018]

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL  NO(S).  10041 OF 2018 [@ SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (C) NO. 6013 OF 2018]

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL  NO(S).  10040 OF 2018 [@ SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (C) NO. 6012 OF 2018]

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL  NO(S).  10038 OF 2018 [@ SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (C) NO. 4593 OF 2018]

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL  NO(S).  10037 OF 2018 [@ SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (C) NO. 4588 OF 2018]

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WITH

CIVIL APPEAL  NO(S).  10045 OF 2018 [@ SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (C) NO. 10827 OF 2018]

J U D G M E N T

KURIAN, J.

SLP (C) No.   8343 OF 2018

1. Leave granted.

2. The  High  Court,  as  per  the  impugned  order,

declined  to  consider  the  claim  made  by  the

appellant(s) for enhancement of compensation on the

ground of unexplained delay in approaching the High

Court.   In  cases  where  the  claim  is  made  for

enhancement, this Court has taken a consistent view

that in case the claimants are denied the statutory

benefits for the period covered by delay, a lenient

view should be taken while condoning the delay.

3. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of

the case, we condone the delay on the part of the

appellant(s)  in  approaching  the  High  Court  on  the

condition that for the period of delay, they shall

not be entitled to any statutory benefits in case any

enhancement is granted by the High Court on merits.

4. Since  we  are  bereft  of  other  particulars  on

merits, we remit the matter to the High Court for

consideration of the claims made by the appellant(s)

on merits.  The parties will appear before the High

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Court on 01.11.2018.  We request the High Court to

consider  the  matter  expeditiously  since  the  claim

pertains to the acquisition in the year 1990.

In view of the above, the appeal is disposed of.

Pending  interlocutory  application(s),  if  any,

is/are disposed of.    

SLP (C) No. 315 OF 2018, SLP (C) No. 4590 OF 2018,

SLP (C) No. 6016 OF 2018, SLP (C) No. 6017 OF 2018,

SLP (C) No. 6013 OF 2018, SLP (C) No. 6012 OF 2018,

SLP (C) No. 4593 OF 2018, SLP (C) No. 4588 OF 2018

and SLP (C) No. 10827 OF 2018           

1. Leave granted.

2. The issue raised in these appeals pertains to the

claim  made  by  the  appellants  for  enhancement  of

compensation  for  pomegranate  trees,  which  stood  in

the  land  acquired   for  the  purpose  of

Somashila/Telugu Ganga Project.  The notifications in

these  cases  have  been  issued  on  different  dates

between  1990  to  1994.   The  appellants  have  been

granted  compensation  at  the  rate  of  Rs.2000/-  per

Pomegranate  Tree.  We find  from Civil  Appeal Nos.

11404-11405  of  2016  that  this  Court  has  fixed

compensation  at  the  rate  of  Rs.  3,000/-  per

pomegranate tree, as against Rs. 2000/- fixed by the

High  Court, in  respect of  the acquisition  for the

same project, for which notification was issued in

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the year 1994.  Having regard to the entire facts and

circumstances of the case, we are of the view that it

would  be  just,  reasonable  and  proper  to  fix  the

compensation  at  the  rate  of  Rs.  3000/-  per

Pomegranate  Tree.   Therefore,  these  appeals  are

disposed of with the following directions :-

(i) The appellants shall be entitled to compensation

at the rate of Rs. 3000/- (Rupees Three Thousand) per

Pomegranate Tree along with all statutory benefits.

(ii)   However,  they  shall  not  be  entitled  for

statutory  benefits  for  the  period  of  delay  in

approaching this Court or the High Court.          

.......................J.               [ KURIAN JOSEPH ]  

.......................J.               [ SANJAY KISHAN KAUL ]  

New Delhi; September 27, 2018.