- (1.) Leave granted.
(2.) All these appeals are directed against the common judgment dated 11.9.2000 in LPA No.210 of 1999 and connected appeals passed by the Division Bench of the High Court for the States of Punjab and Haryana, at Chandigarh.
(3.) The State of Haryana issued Notification dated 2.12.1982 under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, intending to acquire 327.52 acres in village Patti Jhambra, Shahabad in District Kurukshetra for a public purpose namely to develop and utilize the land for residential, commercial industrial area for the urban Estate of Shahabad. Section 6 Notification was issued on 4.7.1984 in relation to 178.62 acres, though on actual measurement, the possession of the land taken was found only 90.07 acres. After hearing the objections of the land-owners/claimants the Collector by his Award dated 16.9.1986 awarded compensation at different rates per acre, classifying the lands as Chahi, Abadi plot, Gair Mumkin and Banjar quadim. Having not satisfied with the amount awarded, the claimants filed applications for reference under Section 18 of the Act and the Collector referred them to the District Judge, Kurukshetra for determining the value of the lands. The Reference Court after hearing both the parties on the basis of the evidence adduced, awarded uniform compensation at Rs.2,66,400/- per acre in his Award dated 31.5.1991. Feeling dissatisfied with the said Award the State filed Regular First Appeals seeking reduction in the amount of compensation and the claimants filed independent appeals for enhancement of the compensation. The learned single Judge of the High Court partly allowed the appeal filed by the State and dismissed the appeals of the claimants and held that the claimants are entitled to get compensation at the rate of Rs.1,83,080/- per acre along with solatium and interest and statutory benefits. Feeling aggrieved the claimants preferred Letters Patent Appeals and the Division Bench of the High Court partly allowed the claimants appeals and modified the award to the extent that claimants are entitled to get compensation at the rate of Rs.2,19,696 per acre along with other benefits as awarded by the Reference Court. Feeling dissatisfied the State preferred the present appeals seeking reduction in the amount of compensation and the claimants preferred separate appeals seeking for enhancement of the compensation.;