SUJIT NARAYAN PRASAD, J. - (1.) This writ petition is under Article 226 of the Constitution of India whereby and whereunder the petitioner has sought for a direction upon the respondents to provide appointment in connection with the acquisition of land pertaining to total area of 2.00 acres of Khata No. 22, Plot No. 0.77, Khata No. 25 Plot No. 838, Khata No. 40 Plot No. 542 of Mouza Village-Charhi under PS-Charhi, District-Hazaribagh.
(2.) Counter affidavit has been filed by the respondents wherein inter alia stand has been taken that the land has been acquired sometime in the year 1978 and the claim for getting appointment has been filed for the first time in the year 2014 i.e., after lapse of three and a half decade, and that too without showing any explanation to that effect, therefore, the writ petition is hopelessly barred by the principle of delay and latches, hence, the same may not be entertained.
(3.) After having heard the learned counsel for the parties and after going across the pleadings made in the writ petition, it transpires therefrom that the petitioner has invoked the provision of Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of direction upon the respondents to provide appointment in lieu of the acquisition of land for the purpose of residential quarters of the Central Coalfields Limited which has been acquired under the provision of Land Acquisition Act, 1894.;