CWP No. 6354 of 2011 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CWP No. 6354 of 2011 Date of decision:- 19.04.2011 Ram Saran son of Barka Ram, resident of village Ganour, Tehsil and District Patiala and others. ...... Petitioners Vs State of Punjab and others. ......Respondents CORAM:-HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RANJAN GOGOI, CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURYA KANT Present: Mr. Hardeep Singh, Advocate, for the petitioners. Mr. Rupinder Khosla, Addl. Advocate General, Punjab. * * * * RANJAN GOGOI, C.J. (ORAL) The grievance raised in this PIL is in respect of merger of the Land Acquisition Wings of three establishments of the Irrigation Department into one. The details of the said establishments have been specifically stated in the writ petition. Learned Counsel for the petitioners contends that the merger would affect public interest in as much as the same would lead to delay in the disposal of land acquisition cases and disbursement of compensation. It is also urged that the merger has been made merely to accommodate one person, namely, Inderveer Kaur on whom abundance of power is sought to be concentrated. The actions complained of in this PIL are purely CWP No. 6354 of 2011 2 administrative functions that the authorities of the State must be left free to decide. The plea with regard to concentration of powers in one person for whose benefit the entire exercise has been claimed to have been made, on the very face of it, is not acceptable. In so far as delay in disposal of land acquisition cases and disbursement of compensation is concerned, the said issue can be adequately taken care of by directing the State that the merger of the three establishments should not result in any delay in disposal of cases and disbursement of compensation to persons from whom land has been acquired. The State will ensure the same. PIL is, therefore, not being entertained any further and is accordingly disposed of subject to the observations above. (RANJAN GOGOI) CHIEF JUSTICE (SURYA KANT) JUDGE 19.04.2011 Amodh