Sikandar Singh Grawal vs Union Territory of Chandigarh

N. Venkatachala, J.—These Special Leave Petitions are made respecting the judgments in LPA Nos. 1187/81 and 1207/81 of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana. The petitioners were owners of certain lands of Burail and Maloya village on the outskirts of Chandigarh which had been acquired for public purpose pursuant to Notification u/s 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short 'the Act') published in the local Gazette dated 1.2.1977. The Land Acquisition Collector by his award u/s 11 of the Act determined the market value of the said lands at Rs. 16,000 an acre. The District Judge at Chandigarh who had received the reference u/s 18 of the Act enhanced the market value of the acquired lands to Rs. 34,000 an acre. The High Court before which appeals had been brought by the claimants seeking grant of enhanced market value for their lands, enhanced the market value to Rs. 62,000 an acre following its earlier judgment in similar appeal being LPA No. 1207/81. On behalf of the petitioners, in the present petitions, we were not shown any material on the basis of which the High Court could have determined the market value of the acquired lands at a rate in excess of Rs. 62,000 an acre. Hence, we see no ground to interfere with the judgments of the High Court and enhance the market value of the acquired lands. We, therefore, dismiss these Special Leave Petitions, however, without costs.