LexRATAN LAL GUPTA AND ORS. versus UNION OF INDIA
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A RATAN LAL GUPTA AND ORS. v. UNION OF INDIA NOVEMBER 21, 1995 B [K. RAMASWAMY AND K. S. PARIPOORNAN, JJ.] Land Acquisition Act, 1894 : Land Acquisition-Compensation-Principles for determination- C Land acquired in undeveloped area-f'1ice of the developed area cannot be adopted ipso facto as basis for detemiination of compensation. For acquisition of appellants' land measuring 28 bighas, the Collec- tor awarded compensation @ Rs. 5,000 per bigha together with 15% solatium and interest @ 6% while the Reference Court determined com- D pensation @ Rs. 30 per sq. yard. On further appeal a single Judge of the High Court determined market value @ Rs. 78 per sq. yard deducted Rs. 7 for development charges, fixed the land available as per the lay out at 78.45% of the land areas saleable for plots. The Single Judge also held that the market value for undeveloped area was Rs. 23 per sq. yard while that E for the developed area was Rs. 40 per sq. yard. The Letters Patent Bench dismissed the appeal. In appeal to this Court it was contended for the appellants that having determined the market value at Rs. 78 per sq. yard and having deducted an amount towards development charges and also determined F the saleable plots of land at 78.45% of the land the Single Judge committed an error of law in further reducing the market value. Allowing the appeal, this Court HELD : When the market value is to be determined on the basis of G small plots of land the same price cannot be expected to be realised when a large track of land is offered to a willing purchaser by a willing vendor. It is an admitted fact that the lands in. question are in undeveloped area though adjacent to the developed area. Since the lands in question are situated in undeveloped area, though adjacent to the road, it would take H long time for realisation of potentialities as they would require further 534 f· R.L. GUPTA v. U.0.1. 535 development. Considered from this perspective, the price of the developed A area cannot be adopted ipso facto as the basis to determine compensation to these lands. Considering the facts that the land required development and having deducted 78.45% land which was required for building pur- poses, the proper market value would be Rs. 50 per sq. yard. The appel- lants would also be entitled to interest @ 6% and solatium @ 15% on enhanced compensation. [536-E-F; 537-B-D] Administrator General of West Bengal v. Collect01; Varanasi, AIR (1988) SC 943 and Hasanali Khanbhai and Sons & Ors. v. State of Gujarat, [1995) 5 sec 422, referred to. B c CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal no. 3279 of 1984. From the Judgment and Order dated 26.8.81 of the Delhi High Court in L.P.A. No. 173 of 1981. Mukul Mudgal and Tripurari Ray for the Appellants. S. Wasim A. Qadri for the Union of India for the Respondents. The following Order of the Court was delivered : The application for substitution is allowed. Notification under section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1874 D E (for short 'the Act') acquiring, land admeasuring about 5.29 acres (28 bighas) comprised in Khasra No. 351/305/162 etc. situated in Yaquatpur, Delhi for the planned development (was published in the Union Gazette F on February 4, 1964). The Collector in his award dated May 26, 1965 determined compensation at Rs. 5,000 per bigha together with 15% solatium and interest @ 6%. The Additional District Judge by his award and decree dated August 5, 1969, determined the compensation at the rate of Rs. 30 per square yard. On further appeal under section 54 of the Act, G the learned single Judge determined market value at Rs. 78 per sq. yard, deducted Rs. 7 for development charges, fixed the land available as per the lay out at 78.45% of the land areas saleable for plots. The learned Judge further held that market value for undeveloped area was Rs. 23 per square yard while for the developed area in Greater Kailash Part-I, the market value came to Rs. 39.34 per square yard. On application of the H 536 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995) SUPP. 5 S.C.R. A average, the learned Judge fixed the market value at Rs. 40 per square yard. On Letters Patent Appeal, the Division Bench in the impugned judgment and decree dated August 26, 1981 dismissed the appeal. Thus this appeal by special leave. B c D E Shri Mukul Mudgal, learned counsel appearing for the claimant, contended that the learned single Judge having found that a sum
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