Disposed

Rajbir Singh and Ors. v. National Highway Authority of India and Ors.

Punjab & Haryana HC16 Sept 2016CWP/19146/2016

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Petitioners challenged non-grant of solatium and interest for lands acquired for highway widening. The court directed the Competent Authority to process claims for these statutory benefits consistent with established precedents, directing deposit of awarded amounts in a fixed deposit account pending final litigation.

What did the court decide?

Directed the Competent Authority to consider the claim for solatium and interest within one month and pass a supplementary award within four months.

Rajbir Singh and Ors. Vs National Highway… — Land Acquisition | Punjab & Haryana HC (2016)

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

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Civil Writ Petition No.19146 of 2016. Date of Decision: September 16, 2016

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Rahbir Singh and others ......Petitioners

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versus

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National Highway Authority of India and others .....Respondents

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE SURYA KANT. HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE SUDIP AHLUWALIA.

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Present: Mr.Sanjeev Kumar Panwar, Advocate, for the petitioners. Mr.Rishi Kaushal, Advocate for NHAI. Mr.R.D.Sharma, Deputy Advocate General, Haryana.

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-.-

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Whether Reporters of Local papers may be allowed to see the judgment?

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To be referred to the Reporters or not?

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Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest?

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Surya Kant, J . (Oral)

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Notice of motion.

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On our asking, Mr.Rishi Kaushal, Advocate accepts notice on behalf of respondent No.1 and Mr.R.D.Sharma, learned Deputy Advocate General, Haryana, accepts notice on behalf of respondent No.2 & 3.

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Let two copies of the writ petition be supplied to each abovenamed learned counsel during the course of day failing which this order shall be automatically recalled and the writ petition shall be deemed to have been dismissed for non-prosecution.

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In view of the nature of order which we propose to pass, it is not necessary to seek any counter-reply from the respondents at this stage.

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The petitioners are residents of village Asawata, Tehsil and Mohinder Kumar Kamboj 2016.09.21 13:17 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this documentDistrict Palwal. Their land, as described in para No.2 of the writ petition, Chandigarh

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[2]

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CWP No.19146 of 2016

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has been acquired by respondent No.1 under the National Highways Act, 1956, for widening of National Highway No.2 (Eastern Peripheral Express Way).

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The Award was passed in the year 2012 by the Land Acquisition Collector/Competent Authority.

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The petitioners' main grievance is that while assessing the compensation, the benefits of Sections 23 and 28 and 34 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (hereinafter referred to as '1894 Act'), namely, solatium and interest have not been granted to them despite the fact that this Court in M/s Golden Iron and Steel Forgings versus Union of India and others, 2011 (4) RCR (Civil) 375, has categorically held that in the case of acquisition under the National Highways Act, 1956 also, these two statutory benefits are equally admissible to the affected land-owners. The petitioners also rely upon the decisions of this Court, dated 27.9.2012 passed in CWP No.7457 of 2012 (Bhag Singh and another versus Commissioner, Jalandhar Division and others) and dated 27.9.2012 in CWP No.14642 of 2012 (Prem Kaur versus Union of India and others), whereby the benefits of solatium and interest in terms of the above-cited decision, were extended to similarly situated land-owners.

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The petitioners, besides submitting the applications etc., have been running from pillar to post for the release of above-mentioned benefits but the same are said to have been withheld on the plea that there are no such directions given by this Court in their favour.

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We have heard learned counsel for the parties at some length and gone through the record.

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The principles laid down by this Court in Golden Iron and Steel

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Mohinder Kumar Kamboj 2016.09.21 13:17 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Chandigarh

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CWP No.19146 of 2016 [3]

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Forgings's case (supra), are undisputable. The fact that the benefit of solatium and interest has been extended to other similarly situated landowners vide order dated 27.09.2012 in Bhag Singh's case (supra), can be hardly denied. In these circumstances, it appears imperative upon the respondents to consider the petitioners' claim for the grant of solatium and interest in accordance with the decision of this Court in Golden Iron and Steel Forgings's case (supra).

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The writ petition is accordingly disposed of in the following

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terms:-

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(i) The petitioners may apply to the Competent Authoritycum-Land Acquisition Collector within a period of one month for the grant of aforesaid benefits;

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(ii) The said Competent Authority will issue notice and call for the records/reply from the National Highway Authority of India;

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(iii) The Competent Authority shall thereafter determine the petitioners' claim for the aforesaid benefits, especially in view of the decisions of this Court and the Hon'ble Supreme Court, as relied upon by the claimant(s);

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(iv) If the petitioners are found entitled to, a self speaking supplementary Award to this effect shall be passed within a period of four months from the date of filing of the application;

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(v) The National Highways Authority of India is directed to deposit the amount payable in terms of the supplementary award, in interest-bearing fixed deposit account(s) in any

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Mohinder Kumar Kamboj 2016.09.21 13:17 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Chandigarh

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[4]

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CWP No.19146 of 2016

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nationalized bank which shall be disbursed subject to

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attaining finality of the litigation in the instant case.

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The writ petition stands disposed of accordingly.