2021 INSC 0757
REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL NO.6919 OF 2021
Anil Kumar Soti & Ors.   ..Appellant(S)
VERSUS
State of U.P. through Collector Bijnore (U.P.) ..Respondent(S)
J U D G M E N T 
M. R. Shah, J.
1. Feeling   aggrieved   and   dissatisfied   with   the   impugned
judgment   and   order   dated   16.04.2019   passed   by   the   High
Court   of   Judicature   at   Allahabad   in   First   Appeal   No.440   of
1989,   by   which   the   High   Court   has   partly   allowed   the   said
appeal preferred by the appellants herein – original claimants
and   has   determined   the   market   value   of   the   lands   acquired
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at   Rs.7,100/­   per   acre   only,   original   land   owners   have
preferred the present appeal. 
2. That the appellants’ lands situated at village Rawali came to
be   acquired   for   public  purpose.   A  notification   under  Section
4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (hereinafter referred to as
the   Act)   was   issued   on   16.05.1981.   The   Land   Acquisition
Officer declared the award and determined the compensation
at Rs.5,218.39/­ per acre. At the instances of the claimants a
Reference was made to the District Court under Section 18 of
the ACT claiming compensation of Rs.12,000/­ per acre. The
Reference   Court   enhanced   the   compensation   from
Rs.5,218.39/­   per   acre   to   Rs.6,696.70/­   per   acre   with   all
other   statutory   benefits   which   may   be   available   under   the
Act.   The   appellants   herein   preferred   the   appeal   before   the
High   Court.   The   claimants   prayed   the   compensation   of
Rs.15,402/­   per   acre   relying   upon   the   judgment   and   award
passed   by   the   Reference   Court   in   another   case   with   respect
to   the   acquisition   of   the   land   of   the   very   village,   but   with
respect   to   the   notification   issued   under   Section   4  of   the   Act
dated 19.12.1981. That by the impugned judgment and order
and   relying   upon   and   considering   the   sale   deed   exemplar
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dated 23.12.1980, the High Court has partly allowed the said
appeal   and   has   determined   and   awarded   the   compensation
at the rate of Rs.7,100/­ per acre. 
3. Feeling   aggrieved   and   dissatisfied   with   the   impugned
judgment and order passed by the High Court, enhancing the
amount   of   compensation   to   Rs.7,100/­   per   acre   only   the
original claimants have preferred the present appeal. 
4. Learned   Counsel   appearing   on   behalf   of   the   appellants   –
original   claimants   has   vehemently   submitted   that   the   High
Court   has   materially   erred   in  determining   and   awarding   the
compensation of Rs.7,100/­ per acre only. 
4.1 It is submitted that for the acquisition of the land of the very
village but notification under Section 4 of the Act was issued
on 19.12.1981 the Reference Court determined and awarded
the   compensation   at   Rs.15,402/­   per   acre.   It   is   submitted
that   the   Reference   Court   in   that   case   relied   upon   the   sale
deed   exemplar   of   the   year   1978   and   thereafter   determined
the   market   value   of   the   compensation   at   Rs.   15,402/­   per
acre.   It   is   submitted   that   the   appeal   against   the   judgment
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and   award   passed   by   the   Reference   Court   in   that   case
determining   and   awarding   the   compensation   at   Rs.15,402/­
per   acre   has   been   subsequently   withdrawn.   It   is   submitted
that   therefore   the   Government   has   accepted   the   judgment
and award passed by the Reference Court with respect to the
land   acquired   of   the   same   village   but   for   which   the
notification   under   Section   4   of   the   Act   was   issued   on
19.12.1981. It is submitted that therefore the appellants are
also entitled to the compensation of Rs.15,402/­ per acre.  
5. Learned   counsel   appearing   on   behalf   of   the   respondent   –
State has submitted that in the present case the High Court
has   rightly   determined   the   compensation   at   Rs.7,100/­   per
acre   considering   the   sale   deed   exemplar   dated   23.12.1980
which as such can be said to be proximate/nearer to the date
of   the   acquisition   of   the   land.   It   is   submitted   that   therefore
the   interference   of   this   court   in   exercise   of   power   under
Article 136 of the Constitution of India is not called for.         
6. We   have   heard   the   learned   counsel   appearing   for   the
respective parties at length. 
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7. At   the   outset,   it   is   required   to   be   noted   and   it   is   not   in
dispute that in the present case notification under Section 4
of the Act has been issued on 16.05.1981 by which the High
Court   has   determined   the   compensation   at   Rs.7,100/­   per
acre. However, it is required to be noted that with respect to
the   land   acquired   of   the   very   same   village   for   which   the
notification   under   Section   4   of   the   Act   was   issued   on
19.12.1981, the Reference Court in another case determined
and   awarded   the   compensation   at   Rs.15,402/­   per   acre.
Having gone through the judgment and award passed by the
Reference   Court   in   another   case   determining   the
compensation at Rs.15,402/­ per acre (which is heavily relied
upon   by   the   claimants   in   the   present   case)   the   Reference
Court   had   considered   the   sale   deed   exemplar   of   the   year
1978.   Therefore,   it   is   not   the   case   that   in   another   case   the
sale   deed   exemplar   relied   upon   was   for   the   period   between
16.05.1981  (acquisition  of  the  land   in  the  present  case)  and
19.12.1981   (date   of   acquisition   in   another   case).   As   per   the
settled   preposition   of   law   while   determining   the   market
value/compensation,   previous   instances   of   acquisition   in
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proximity for location and potential of land acquisition along
with   cumulative   increase   is   relevant   consideration.   In   the
present   case,   time   gap   between   two   notifications   under
Section 4 of the Act is only seven months. Nothing has been
pointed   out   with   respect   to   any   material   changes   for   the
period   between   16.05.1981   and   16.12.1981   ­   time   gap
between the two notifications under Section 4 of the Act. On
the   contrary,   after   the   judgment   and   award   passed   by   the
Reference   Court   with   respect   to   the   land   acquired   of   the
same   village   for   which   notification   under   Section   4   was
issued   on   19.12.1981,   the   Reference   Court   determined   the
compensation at Rs.15,402/­ per acre.   The Reference Court
in that case relied upon the sale deed exemplar of 1978. The
judgment   and   award   passed   by   the   Reference   Court   in   that
case   determining   the   market   value/compensation   at
Rs.15,402/­   per   acre  has   attained   the   finality   and   the   State
has accepted the same by withdrawing the appeal against the
said   judgment   and   award.   Therefore,   in   the   present
circumstances,   the   appellants   shall   be   entitled   to   the
compensation at Rs.15,402/­ per acre.  
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8. In   view   of   the   above   and   for   the   reasons   stated   above,   the
present appeal succeeds. The impugned judgment and order
passed   by   the   High   Court   is   hereby   modified   and   it   is   held
that appellants shall be entitled to the compensation for land
acquired   at   Rs.15,402/­   per   acre   with   all   other   statutory
benefits   which   may   be   available   under   the   Act   subject   to
payment of deficient Court fees, if any. The present appeal is
allowed   accordingly.     In   the   facts   and   circumstances   of   the
case there shall be no order as to costs.         
…………………………………J.
   (M. R. SHAH)
…………………………………J.
  (SANJIV KHANNA)
New Delhi, 
November  23, 2021
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