The Executive Engineer v. S R Prahlad Rao Dead by L R.S
Land acquisition – enhancement of compensation – Reference under Section 18(1), Land Acquisition Act, 1894
Case brief
What is this about?
Karnataka High Court, Bengaluru (DB: Anu Sivaraman; Vijaykumar A. Patil, author), 20.02.2025, MFA No.3312/2020 c/w MFA No.4331/2020 (LAC): Executive Engineer, Upper Thunga Project, Shivamogga appealed against reference-court awards dated 28.11.2018 in LAC No.2/2001 and LAC No.7/2001 re-determining compensation at Rs.105/- per sq.ft. (LAO award Rs.66,000/- per acre dated 30.06.2000; Preliminary Notification 30.03.1996; Section 18(1) references, Land Acquisition Act, 1894). Held: re-determination fully justified, relying on MFA No.7998/2014 (G. Hanumantha Rao v. SLAO Upper Thunga Project, 13.01.2020) and Supreme Court Civil Appeal No.7587/2021 (Executive Engineer, KNNL v. Nagamma, 25.04.2024); both appeals dismissed. Keywords: Land Acquisition Act 1894 s.18(1); Upper Thunga Project channel; market value re-determination; Rs.105 per sq.ft.; comparable-notification gap.
What did the court decide?
None to the appellant; both appeals dismissed and the reference Court's re-determined compensation of Rs.105/- per square foot stands.