LexDEPUTY COLLECTOR NORTHERN SUBDIVISION, PANAJI versus COMMUNIDADE OF BAMBOLIM
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DEPUTY COLLECTOR NORTHERN SUB DIVISION, PANAJI A v. COMMUNIDADE OF BAMBOLIM JULY 26, 1995 (K. RAMASWAMY AND K.S. PARIPOORNAN, JJ.) Limitation Act, 1963:Section 14. Land Acquisition at Goa-C-ompensation Award by Reference Court- Extension of CPC and Arbitration Act to Goa-State Counsel-Doubt whether remedy to be pursued under Portuguese Code or CPC-Appeal filed under CPC without prejudice to right under Portuguese Code-Dismissal by High Court as time barred and for non-filing of Vakalatnama-Held pursuing wrong remedy under Portuguese Code was bona fide-Section 14 held ap- plicable-Filing of memo of appearance by State Counsel held sufficient. For certain lands acquired at Goa, the Land Acquisition Officer gave his award on March 30, 1966 while the Reference Court gave its award on June 1, 1967. In the meantime the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 and the Arbitration Act, 1940 was extended to Goa with effect from September 15, 1965. Dissatisfied with the enhanced compensation the appellant filed an appeal before the Civil Court on August 25, 1967. As the State Counsel was in doubt as to whether the appeal should be pursued under the Portuguese Code or under the Code of Civil Procedure, he filed a memo on June 22, 1966 that he was pursuing the appeal under the CPC without prejudice to his right under the Portoguese Code. The Judicial Commissioner Goa dismissed the appeal on the grounds that : (i) the appeal was barred by Limitation and (ii) the Vakalatnama had not been filed by the Counsel for the State. Hence this appeal. B c D E F Allowing the appeal and setting aside the order of the Judicial G Commissioner, this Court HELD : 1. It is true that if the appeal is filed under "Recurso de Apelacao" it is well within time. If appeal is entertained under Section 96 of CPC read with Section 54 of the Land Acquisition Act, it is beyond limitation. The State is acting through its authorised representative and H 359 - 360 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1995] SUPP. 2 S.C.R. A the counsel was in two minds, as to whether the appeal should be pursued under the Portuguese Code or under C.P.C. Since C.P.C. stood extended to Goa, Daman and Diu on September 15, 1966 by which date there was a decree passed by the Reference Court, obviously the proceedings should be pursued under C.P.C. as per Section 53 of the Land Acquisition Act. B Therefore, there is a bona fide mistake on the part of the counsel in pursuing the remedy under the Portuguese Code. [361-D-F] 2. Since the State acts through the counsel for the State and he is entitled to represent the State in all the proceedings initiated in the Court, there was no need to file vakalatnama but memo of appearance would be C sufficient. [361-G-H] CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION Civil Appeal No.445 of 1979. From the Judgment and Order dated 28.4.78 of the Court of Judicial D Commissioner, Goa Daman & Diu at Panaji in Application No. 138 of 1968. E Ms. A Subhashini for the Appellant. S.K. Mehta and Dhruv Mehta for the Respondents. The following Order of the Court was delivered : This appeal by special leave arises from the order of the Judicial Commissioner Goa, Daman and Diu dated April 28, 1978. The Judicial Commissioner by the said order dismissed the appeal on two grounds · F namely the appeal was barred by limitation and the V akalatnama had not been filed by counsel for the State. The admitted facts are that a Notifica- tion was issued under s.4 of Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short 'the Act') dated January 21, 1965 acquiring the land situated at Bambolim for public purpose, namely, construction of Medical College. The Land Ac- G quisition Officer made his award on March 30, 1966. The Code of Civil Procedure and the Arbitration Ad were extended to Goa, Daman & Diu on Septemb.er 15, 1965 and were applied and came into force by a Notifica- tion dated 24th May, 1966. The Award of the Civil Court was made on reference under s. 18 on June 1, 1967. Dissatisfied with the enhanced compensation awarded by the Civil Court the appellant filed the appeal on H August 25, 1967 in the Comarca Court which is a civil court under the Act. DY. COLLECI"OR NOR1HERN SUB-DVN. v. COMMUNIDADE OF BAMBOLIM 361 Thereafter it would appear that there was a procedural difficulty, in which A the Govt. Pleader appearing for the State was unable to decide under what Code he was to pursue the remedy whether it would be under "Recurso de Apelacao" und
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