Summary
The Court condoned a 3,671-day delay in a land-acquisition appeal on the claimants’ explanation and the pragmatic approach appropriate to dispossessed agriculturists. It balanced equities by denying interest for the delay period and itself enhanced tree compensation to Rs.1,500 per pomegranate tree and Rs.250 per lime tree.
Issues
- Whether the long delay in the agriculturists’ enhancement appeal should be condoned.
- What tree compensation and delay-period interest relief were appropriate.
Held
- Sufficient cause requires a justice-oriented assessment of the actual circumstances, including the explanation that papers were entrusted for an appeal believed to have been filed. Failure of extra vigilance did not necessarily establish negligence or lack of bona fides. The differing treatment of comparable delayed claims was unjustified. (¶ 10–14)
- Tree compensation remained fact-specific. The later Rs.3,000 comparator did not govern this earlier acquisition; taking account of the separate land compensation, the Court fixed Rs.1,500 per pomegranate tree and increased lime compensation to Rs.250 per tree. (¶ 15–19)
- Statutory benefits were payable, but no interest was allowed for the entire 3,671-day delay period, balancing the grant of enhancement after condonation. (¶¶ 14, 19)
Result
Appeal partly allowed with respective costs borne by the parties; compensation enhanced to Rs.1,500 per pomegranate tree and Rs.250 per lime tree, plus statutory benefits, excluding interest for 3,671 days of delay.