Summary
Punjab landowners appealed against High Court judgments fixing compensation for acquired land at Rs. 7,80,000 per acre, following Kapoor Singh, and in one case Rs. 19,85,700 per acre, following Surjit Singh. In 2014 the Supreme Court had raised the compensation in those lead cases by a further Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 2 lakh per acre respectively, payable by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority. The Court held that the appellants were similarly placed and partly allowed the appeals on the same terms, with statutory solatium on the enhancement from the dates of the High Court orders. Because of substantial delay, interest was denied for the period from the High Court judgments until the appeals were filed in the Supreme Court. The Authority was directed to deposit the amount within three months.
Issues
- Whether landowners similarly situated to those in Kapoor Singh and Surjit Singh are entitled to the same enhancement of compensation granted by the Supreme Court in those cases
- Whether interest on the enhanced amount should be denied for the period of delay
Held
- The High Court had decided these first appeals by following Kapoor Singh and Surjit Singh. Since the Supreme Court had enhanced compensation in those cases by Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 2 lakh per acre, the similarly situated appellants were entitled to the same enhancement. (¶¶ 2, 3, 4)
- Statutory solatium is payable on the enhanced amount from the date of the High Court orders. (¶ 5)
- Because of the substantial delay, interest on the enhanced amount is denied from the date of the High Court judgments until the appeals were filed before the Supreme Court. (¶¶ 4, 5)
Result
Appeals partly allowed; compensation enhanced by Rs. 1,00,000 per acre (Rs. 2,00,000 per acre in the appeal from RFA No. 4975 of 2010) with solatium, interest denied for the delay period, and the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority to deposit the amount within three months; no costs.