AMBALAL BABULAL PATEL vs THE GROUP GENERAL MANAGER, ONGC

AMBALAL BABULAL PATEL vs THE GROUP GENERAL MANAGER,  ONGC

NON­REPORTABLE

  IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

      CIVIL APPEAL NO(S).  385­386    OF 2022

(Arising out of SLP(Civil) No(s).7086­7087 of 2017)

AMBALAL BABULAL PATEL ETC. ETC.       ….APPELLANT(S)

VERSUS

THE GROUP GENERAL MANAGER, 

ONGC & ANR.      ….RESPONDENT(S)

WITH

  CIVIL APPEAL NO(S).  387­392     OF 2022

         (Arising out of SLP(Civil) No(s).7092­7097 of 2017)

  CIVIL APPEAL NO(S).   393­395     OF 2022

            (Arising out of SLP(Civil) No(s).7099­7101 of 2017)

   CIVIL APPEAL NO(S).  396­398     OF 2022

       (Arising out of SLP(Civil) No(s).7089­7091 of 2017)

    CIVIL APPEAL NO(S).    399­400       OF 2022

       (Arising out of SLP(Civil) No(s).5961­5962 of 2017)

O R D E R

1.      Leave granted.

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2. The appellants are the claimants and being dissatisfied with

the amount of compensation awarded by the Division Bench of

the High Court under the impugned judgment, have approached

this Court by filing these instant appeals. 

3. The   subject   lands   in   question   are   situated   at   Villages

Pansar, Dhamasana and Isand which came to be acquired under

the   provisions   of   the   Land   Acquisition   Act,   1894   (hereinafter

being referred to as the “Act”) for the public purpose for ONGC.

The notification under Section 4 of the Act came to be published

and after going through the procedure prescribed under law, the

Special Land Acquisition Officer awarded compensation under

Section 11 of the Act. 

4. Upon reference being made by the appellants­claimants in

respect   of   the   lands   acquired   at   Villages

Pansar/Dhamasana/Isand,   the   Reference   Court   awarded

additional   compensation,   over   and   above   the   compensation

awarded   by   the   Special   Land   Acquisition   Officer,   ONGC,

Ahmedabad, under its respective orders along with interest and

other statutory benefits under Section 23(1)(A) of the Act.

 5. The   orders   passed   by   the   Reference   Court   came   to   be

challenged by respondent no.1 (ONGC) before the High Court and

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after hearing the parties, the High Court under its respective

impugned   judgments,   while   upholding   the   statutory   benefits

including   interest,   modified   the   rate   of   compensation   and

reduced the additional compensation for the land acquired at

Villages   Pansar/Dhamasana/Isand,   Taluka   Kalol,   District

Gandhinagar, which is the subject matter of challenge at the

instance   of   the   appellants­claimants   in   the   present   batch   of

appeals.

6. After we have heard learned counsel for the parties, in our

considered view, the Reference Court in exercise of its power

under   Section   18   of   the   Act,   after   appreciating   the   material

available   on   record,   awarded   additional   compensation   to   the

claimants   over   and   above   the   compensation   awarded   by   the

Special   Land   Acquisition   Officer,   ONGC,   Ahmedabad   and   the

interference   made   by   the   High   Court   under   the   impugned

judgment so far as the additional compensation assessed by the

Reference   Court   is   concerned,   is   neither   supported   by   the

material on record nor sustainable in law.

7. Consequently,   additional   compensation   awarded   by   the

Reference Court in the respective orders stands restored.   The

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impugned judgment of the High Court, to the limited extent is

accordingly modified.

8. The appeals in the above terms stand disposed of.

9. Pending application(s), if any, shall also stand disposed of.

…………………………..J.

(AJAY RASTOGI)

                                                           …………………………..J.

(ABHAY S. OKA)

NEW DELHI

JANUARY 19, 2022

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