G.R. Majithia, J. - (1.) This judgment will dispose of Letters Patent Appeals Nos. 23, 24 44. 101 to 166, 167, 16N to 206, 295 to '98, 301 to 304, 541, 792 to 797 of 1988; 929 to 949, 969 to 979, 1012 to 1138, 1157 to 1165, 1171 to 1 '91, 1196 to, 1206, 1219 to 1289. 1310 to 1319, PI9-A, 1320 to 1331, 1336 to 1442,1452 to 1501, 1502. 1503 to 1551, 1553 to 1569, 1583 and 1622 to 1624 of 1987 filed by landowners and Letters Patent Appeals Nos. 551 to 639, 641, 641-A, 642, 644, 544 A, 645 to 660 and 662 to 791 of 1988 filed by the Union of India.
(2.) Controversy is centred on the question of the valuation of the land under acquisition. The landowners complained that the learned Single Judge has not correctly evaluated the land while the Union of India asserts that he has erroneously enhanced the compensation of the land. The lands in question are situated in the revenue estates of Bhagu, Mehna, Bhucho Khurd and Bhucho Kalan. Tehsil and District Bhatinda, and were acquired vide Notification No. 13/2/79 JJ 11 (B)/PB/5408/ACT/5893 dated 10th May, 1973 issued under section 4 of the Band Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short "the Act"). The lands form a compact block and were acquired for the Bhatinda Cantonment. The Land Acquisition Collector evaluated the lands by four different awards. The claimant-landowners were not satisfied with the compensation offered by the Collector and got references made under section 18 of the Act to the Civil Court The references were disposed of by learned Additional District Judge. Bhatinda. and he evaluated lands pertaining to revenue estate of Mehna as under : JUDGEMENT_106_LAWS(P&H)1_19891.html He evaluated land situated in other revenue estates at different rates. The landowners were dissatisfied with the award given by the civil Court and came to this Court in First Appeals and the learned Single Judge by a common judgment disposed of all the appeals filed by the landowners and determined the market value of the acquired land in the revenue estates of Mehna, Bhucho Khurd and Bhucho Kalan as under : JUDGEMENT_106_LAWS(P&H)1_19892.html They were not still satisfied with the compensation awarded by the learned Single Judge, and hence these appeals under clause X of the Letters Patent, both at the instance of the landowners as well as the Union of India. The Union of India has levied a challenge to the enhancement in the market value allowed by learned Single Judge.
(3.) The Cantonment at Bhatinda was established in the year 1974-/5. Land was acquired for this purpose from the revenue estate of Bhatinda, vide notification dated 9th Oct., 1974. The market value was finally determined by a Division Bench of this court in Letters Patent Appeal No. 279 of 1982 Kartar Singh Vs. Union of India, decided on ' the 9 Dec., 1982. Two belts were formed for assessing the market value since the land abutted the municipal limits of Bhatinda Town and the market value was assessed as under:- JUDGEMENT_106_LAWS(P&H)1_19893.html;