district–Sangli. The notification under section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act was issued on 25/1/1999. The said notification was published in the daily newspapers “Tarun Bharat” and “Kesari” on 29/1/1999 and 30/1/1999 respectively. Notices were issued in the name of Shriniwas Bhimrao Desphande, father of the petitioners, as the said land was standing in his name. Thereafter, enquiry under section 5 of the Land Acquisition Act was held and section 6 declaration was issued on 24/3/1999. Further enquiry under section 9(3)(4) of the Land Acquisition Act was held and ultimately the award was passed on 20/9/1999. The possession of the land in question was taken and the mutation entry to that effect was also recorded. It is the case of the petitioners that no notice of the acquisition proceeding was given to them. This contention is without any substance in view of the statement given by Subhash, the elder brother of the petitioners, which is annexed as Exhibit-1 to the additional affidavit-in-reply filed by the respondent. The said document discloses that the elder brother of the petitioners gave statement in the enquiry under section 9(3)(4) of the Land Acquisition Act, whereunder he has claimed compensation at the rate of Rs.50,000/- per acre for the jirayat land and at the rate of Rs.1,00,000/for bagayat land. The petitioners by filing affidavit-in-rejoinder disputed the signature of Subhash, however, that issue cannot be gone into in the
