Summary
The Court enhanced compensation to Rs.15,402 per acre by applying a final award for land in the same village notified seven months later. That award relied on a 1978 sale, not an intervening sale after the present notification, and the State had accepted it by withdrawing its appeal. With no material change during the short interval identified, the comparable award justified the enhancement on these facts.
Issues
- Whether the final compensation award for the same village under a notification seven months later justified enhancement in the present acquisition.
Held
- Proximity in location and potential, together with the timing of comparable acquisitions, is relevant to market valuation. The comparator award used a sale predating both notifications, and no material intervening change was shown. (¶ 7)
- The comparator award of Rs.15,402 per acre had attained finality after the State withdrew its appeal. In those circumstances, the claimants were entitled to that rate rather than the High Court’s Rs.7,100 per acre. (¶¶ 7, 8)
Result
Appeal allowed. Compensation enhanced to Rs.15,402 per acre with other statutory benefits available under the Act, subject to payment of deficient court fees, if any; no costs.