LAND ACQUISITON OFFICER ANDHRA PRADESH. Vs A.RAMACHANDRA REDDY ANDORS.
Bench: R.V. RAVEENDRAN,H.L. GOKHALE, , ,
Case number: C.A. No.-000438-000438 / 2011
Diary number: 13066 / 2005
Advocates: C. K. SUCHARITA Vs
Reportable
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 438 OF 2011 [Arising out of SLP [C] No.21512/2005]
Land Acquisition Officer-cum-RDO, Chevella Division Ranga Reddy District … Appellant
Vs.
A.Ramachandra Reddy & Ors. … Respondents
With
CA No. 440 of 2011 (Arising out of SLP [C] No.13268/2006); CA No. 441 of 2011 (Arising out of SLP [C] No.13382/2006); CA No. 442 of 2011 (Arising out of SLP [C] No.13387/2006); CA No. 443 of 2011 (Arising out of SLP [C] No.13388/2006); CA No. 444 of 2011 (Arising out of SLP [C] No.13412/2006); CA No. 445 of 2011 (Arising out of SLP [C] No.14871/2006).
J U D G M E N T
R.V.RAVEENDRAN, J.
Leave granted in all the SLPs.
2. An extent of 24 acres in Survey No.24 of Peeram Cheruvu Village,
Rajendranagar Mandal, Ranga Reddy District on the outskirts of Hyderabad
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was acquired for Andhra Pradesh Police Academy. For this purpose, a
preliminary notification under section 4(1) read with section 17 of the Land
Acquisition Act, 1894 (‘Act’ for short) was issued and published in the A.P.
Gazette on 3.1.1990. It was also published in two newspapers circulating in
that locality on 12.2.1990. The final declaration under section 6 of the Act
was published in the A.P. Gazette dated 10.1.1990 (published in two
newspapers circulating in that locality on 12.2.1990). Possession of the
acquired lands was taken on 18.9.1991 by invoking the urgency clause under
section 17 of the Act.
3. The respondents filed W.P.No.14396/1991 in the A.P. High Court
seeking a direction to the appellant to pass an award. The High Court
disposed of the said writ petition with a direction to pass an award
before 11.2.1992 as the final notification had been published in the Gazette
on 10.1.1992. The award was not be passed within the stipulated two years.
The State government, being of the view that as a consequence, the
acquisition had lapsed, published a fresh preliminary notification dated
9.9.1993 under section 4(1) of the Act in the A.P. Gazette dated 19.11.1993,
followed by a fresh final declaration under section 6 of the Act published in
the Gazette dated 16.2.1994.
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4. Ultimately, the Land Acquisition Officer made an award dated
31.8.1996. Before doing so he appears to have sought legal opinion as to the
date with reference to which the compensation should be determined. The
legal opinion was that as possession was taken on 18.9.1991 by invoking
section 17, the acquisition proceedings did not lapse under section 11A of
the Act and the fresh acquisition notifications dated 19.11.1993 and
16.2.1994 could be ignored and the award could be passed with reference to
the market value as on the date of issue of the first preliminary notification
dated 3.1.1990. The Land Acquisition Officer, after referring the sales
statistics and nature of land, by award dated 31.8.1996 offered compensation
at the rate of Rs.24,000/- per acre with 30% solatium under section 23(2),
additional market value at 12% per annum under section 23(1A) from
12.2.1990 to 18.9.1991 and interest at the rate of 9% per annum for the
period 18.9.1991 to 17.9.1992 and at the rate of 15% per annum from
18.9.1992 to 31.8.1996.
5. Not being satisfied with the quantum of compensation, the
respondents-landowners sought reference to Civil Court. Before the
Reference Court, the respondents let in evidence about market value as on
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19.11.1993, which is the date of publication of the second preliminary
notification. The Reference Court held that the relevant date of
determination of market value was 3.1.1990 (which was the date of the first
preliminary notification), that there was no evidence about the market value
as on 3.1.1990. He held that none of the sale deeds relied upon by the
landowners was relevant, as they were all with reference to the second
preliminary notification published on 19.11.1993. However having regard
to the situation and potential of the land, it concluded that approximately
double the amount offered by the Land Acquisition Officer would be the
appropriate market value and therefore awarded compensation at the rate of
Rs.50,000 per acre.
6. The respondents were not satisfied with the amount awarded by the
Reference Court. They therefore filed a batch of appeals before the Andhra
Pradesh High Court. Some of the appeals were decided by judgment dated
16.2.2005 and some were decided by judgment dated 3.1.1996 following the
judgment dated 16.2.2005. The High Court was of the view that the relevant
date for determination of compensation was not 3.1.1990 as the said
preliminary notification was superseded by notification under section 4(1) of
the Act published on 19.11.1993 and therefore the compensation had to be
determined with reference to the said date. The High Court relied upon a
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sale deed dated 12.11.1993 (Ex. A7) relating to sale of a land at a distance of
about 30 yards from the acquired lands to arrive at the market value of the
acquired land as on 19.11.1993. The said sale deed (Ex.A7) related to a sale
of an area of 1 acre 38 guntas (a little less than two acres) in favour of an
educational institution for a consideration of Rs.490,000/- (which works out
Rs.250,000/- per acre). The High Court rounded off the market value to Rs.
250,000/- per acre, deducted 40% from the said value to make it a
comparable transaction for determination of market value and consequently
awarded compensation at the rate of Rs.150,000/- per acre. The said
judgment is under challenge in these appeals by special leave by the Land
Acquisition Officer.
7. On the contentions urged, two questions arise for consideration :
(i) Whether relevant date for determination of market value is 3.1.1990 as contended by the appellant (or 19.11.1993)?
(ii) Whether the compensation determined at Rs.150,000/- per acre requires interference?
8. The appellant submitted that the first preliminary notification under
section 4(1) read with section 17 of the Act was gazetted on 3.1.1990
followed by a final declaration under section 6 of LA Act on 10.1.1990. As
the urgency provision in section 17 of the Act was invoked, there was no
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inquiry under section 5A of the Act and possession was taken on 18.9.1991
even before making an award. The appellant contended that where
possession is taken invoking section 17 of the Act, the acquisition would not
lapse under section 11A of the Act even if the award was not made within
two years from the date of final declaration. In support of the said
contention, the appellant relied upon the decision of this Court in Satendra
Prasad Jain v. State of U.P. [1993 (4) SCC 369], wherein it was held that
when section 17(1) of the Act is invoked by reason of urgency and the State
Government takes possession of the land prior to the making of the award
under section 11 of the Act and thereupon the owner is divested of the title
of the land which vested in the Government, section 11A would have no
application. It was also held that ordinarily if the Government fails to make
an award within two years of the declaration under section 6 of the Act, the
acquisition would lapse, if the land had not vested in the Government. But
where the land has already vested in the Government by taking possession,
there is no provision in the Act by which the lands statutorily vested in the
Government could revert back to the land owner and therefore section 11A
was inapplicable. This Court further held that even if the 80% estimated
compensation required to be paid under section 17(3-A) of Act was not paid
to the owner, that would not mean that the possession was taken illegally or
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that the land did not vest in the Government.
9. The appellant contended that as the land vested in the government by
reason of possession being taken by invoking section 17 of the Act on
18.9.1991, section 11A of the Act would be inapplicable and the acquisition
did not lapse. It was further submitted that as a consequence, the preliminary
notification dated 3.1.1990 and final declaration dated 10.1.1990 continued
to operate and consequently, the fresh notification dated 9.9.1993 (gazetted
on 19.11.1993) followed by final declaration dated 16.2.1994 became
redundant and inapplicable. The appellant contends that the High Court was
therefore not justified in proceeding on the basis that the compensation
should be fixed with reference to the date of publication of the second
preliminary notification that is 19.11.1993, instead of determining the
market value as on 3.1.1990.
10. On a careful consideration, we are of the view that the decision in
Satayender Prasad Jain will not apply to this case. The issue in this case is
not whether the acquisition lapsed or not. The issue is where the earlier
preliminary and final notifications are superseded by the subsequent
preliminary and final notifications and whether the market value should be
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fixed with reference to the first preliminary notification or the second
preliminary notification. Section 17 as amended in Andhra Pradesh, no
doubt provided that the land would vest absolutely in the government even
before making the award, on taking possession of the land needed for a
public purpose. But as the Land Acquisition Officer failed to estimate the
compensation and tender 80% thereof to the land-owners, as required under
section 17(3A) of the Act, the land-owners approached the High Court by
filing WP No.14396 of 1991 seeking a direction to the appellant to pass the
award. As possession had been taken as the land had already vested in the
government, the land owners could not and did not challenge the acquisition
in the said writ petition. Keeping these facts in view, the High Court
disposed of the said writ petition with a specific direction to make an award
before 11.2.1992. Admittedly, the award was not made and the order of the
High Court was not complied with. It is also of some relevance to note that
under sub-section (5) of section 17 of the Act, inserted by a State
Amendment in Andhra Pradesh, if the Collector does not take possession of
the land within three months from the date when State Government directs
under sub-section (4) of section 17 that the provisions of section 5A shall
not apply, the effect would be that the provisions of section 5A would apply
and the period of 30 days referred to in section 5A shall be reckoned from
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the date of expiration of three months. In these peculiar circumstances, the
government after considering the facts and circumstances, with a view to
avoid further challenge, issued a fresh notification dated 9.9.1993 (gazetted
on 19.11.1993) followed by final declaration dated 16.2.1994. The State
Government did not subsequently cancel/rescind/withdraw the notifications
dated 9.9.1993 and 16.2.1994. The State Government had clearly abandoned
the earlier notifications dated 3.1.1990 and 10.1.1990 by issuing the
subsequent notifications dated 9.9.1993 and 16.2.1994. The appellant cannot
therefore contend that the second preliminary notification is redundant or
that first preliminary notification continues to hold good. In the
circumstances, the High Court was justified in holding that the
compensation should be determined with reference to the date of publication
of the second preliminary notification, namely 19.11.1993.
11. If we examine the quantum of compensation awarded by the High
Court with reference to the date of gazetting of the second preliminary
notification, that is 19.11.1993, we find that the compensation award is not
excessive and does not call for interference. It has been determined with
reference to a sale transaction dated 12.11.1993, just a few days prior to the
publication of the second preliminary notification in the gazette dated
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19.11.1993. The High Court has also made a deduction of 40% in the market
value disclosed by the said sale transaction.
12. In some of the counter affidavits filed in the special leave petitions by
the claimants, they have alleged that their special leave petitions
(challenging the judgment of the High Court and seeking higher
compensation) were dismissed as barred by time and therefore, they may be
permitted to make a counter claim for a higher compensation. Such counter-
claims in counter-affidavits in special leave petitions are impermissible and
not maintainable and cannot be entertained.
13. In view of the above, these appeals are dismissed.
………………………….J. (R V Raveendran)
New Delhi; …………………………J. January 12, 2011. (H L Gokhale)
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