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NON-REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 8463-8466 OF 2012 SACHICHIDANAND PRASAD & ORS.  APPELLANTS

                                                VERSUS

GENERAL MANAGER, NATIONAL THERMAL POWER CORPN. & ANR.           RESPONDENTS

J U D G M E N T KURIAN, J.

1. The  appellants  are  aggrieved  by  the  land  value  fixed by the Collector in respect of the land acquired  from them for the first respondent.  The Collector fixed  the land value at the rate of Rs.357/- per decimal.   2. In reference, the Reference Court fixed the land  value at the rate of Rs. 1988/- per decimal.   3. The High Court, in appeal, found that the fixation  by the Reference Court was wholly erroneous and thus, set  aside the award passed by the Reference Court fixing the  value at the rate of 1988/- per decimal.   4. Aggrieved by the order passed by the High Court,  the appellants are before this Court. 5. On behalf of the respondents, an additional counter  affidavit dated 18.02.2016 was given in Court, bringing  to the notice of the Court that in the case of several  other persons, whose lands have been acquired for the  

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first respondent, the parties have settled the matter by  fixing  the  land  value  at  the  rate  of  Rs.  480/-  per  decimal.   According  to  the  learned  counsel  for  the  appellants, there have been other settlements as well  granting higher land value. 6. We  dispose  of  these  appeals,  in  the  above  circumstances, with the following directions :- i) The appellants shall be entitled to have their land  value fixed at the rate of Rs.480/- per decimal along  with all statutory benefits.  ii) In case the appellants show, within a period of one  month from today, the first respondent that in the case  of others who are similarly situated in the vicinity of  the  appellants,  the  first  respondent  has  agreed  for  higher rates, such higher rates shall be granted to the  appellants as well along with all statutory benefits.  In any case, the needful shall be done and the amounts  due to the appellants shall be paid to them within three  months from today.   7. In  view  of  the  above,  the  civil  appeals  are  disposed of with no order as to costs.             

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

.......................J.               [ROHINTON FALI NARIMAN ]  New Delhi; March 01, 2016.  

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