Case brief
What is this about?
Chhattisgarh High Court (Bilaspur), Justice Arvind Kumar Verma, order dated 16/06/2025; batch of nine writ petitions WPC Nos. 890, 909, 906, 901, 915, 905, 1011, 977, 1042 of 2023; NHAI land acquisition, Village Bhelai / Tehsil Masturi / District Bilaspur; award dated 31.05.2022 by Land Acquisition Officer; compensation reassessment, square-metre slab; alternative remedy; Section 3G(5) National Highways Act 1956, Commissioner-cum-Arbitrator, Revenue Divisional Commissioner; Section 29-A Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996, 12-month timeline; claim for interest before Arbitrator; advocates: Ramakant Pandey, Upasna Mehta (Dy.GA), Shikhar Shukla, Dhiraj Wankhede.
What did the court decide?
Petitions disposed of with directions: petitioners to approach the appropriate authority under Section 3G(5) of the National Highways Act, 1956 (Revenue Divisional Commissioner/Arbitrator) within 30 days; Arbitrator to pass the necessary order within 12 months as per Section 29-A of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996; petitioners free to raise their claim for interest before the Arbitrator.