1 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY BENCH AT AURANGABAD (1) FIRST APPEAL NO.1205 OF 2005 IN LAND ACQUISITION REFERENCE NO.1046 OF 2005 1. The Special Land Acquisition Officer,Jalgaon U.T.P.H.-1 2. The Executive Engineer, Waghur Project,Jalgaon. ...APPELLANTS. VERSUS Shri Pandurang Supadu Chinchole, Age 62 years,Occup. Agriculture, R/o Khadgaon.Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. ...RESPONDENT. WITH (2) FIRST APPEAL NO.1207 OF 2005 IN LAND ACQUISITION REFERENCE NO.1450 OF 2005 1. The Special Land Acquisition Officer,Jalgaon U.T.P.H.-1 2. The Executive Engineer, Waghur Project,Jalgaon. ...APPELLANTS. VERSUS Shri Sitaram Supadu Chinchole, Age 55 years,Occup. Agriculture, R/o Khadgaon.Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. ...RESPONDENT. 2 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 WITH (3) FIRST APPEAL NO.1215 OF 2005 IN LAND ACQUISITION REFERENCE NO.1451 OF 2005 1. The Special Land Acquisition Officer,Jalgaon U.T.P.H.-1 2. The Executive Engineer, Waghur Project,Jalgaon. ...APPELLANTS. VERSUS Shri Champalal Bhavarlal Jain, Age 57 years,Occup. Agriculture, R/o Khadgaon.Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. ...RESPONDENT. WITH (4) FIRST APPEAL NO.1213 OF 2005 IN LAND ACQUISITION REFERENCE NO.1453 OF 2005 1. The Special Land Acquisition Officer,Jalgaon U.T.P.H.-1 2. The Executive Engineer, Waghur Project,Jalgaon. ...APPELLANTS. VERSUS Shri Fakira Natthu Kale, Age 85 years,Occup. Agriculture, R/o Khadgaon.Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. ...RESPONDENT. WITH (5) FIRST APPEAL NO.1214 OF 2005 IN 3 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 LAND ACQUISITION REFERENCE NO.1454 OF 2005 1. The Special Land Acquisition Officer,Jalgaon U.T.P.H.-1 2. The Executive Engineer, Waghur Project,Jalgaon. ...APPELLANTS. VERSUS Shri Arun Jagannath Sonwane, Age 46 years,Occup. Agriculture, R/o Khadgaon.Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. ...RESPONDENT. WITH (6) FIRST APPEAL NO.1212 OF 2005 IN LAND ACQUISITION REFERENCE NO.1455 OF 2005 1. The Special Land Acquisition Officer,Jalgaon U.T.P.H.-1 2. The Executive Engineer, Waghur Project,Jalgaon. ...APPELLANTS. VERSUS Bhagirth Zipar Chaudhary, Age 43 years,Occup. Agriculture, R/o Khadgaon.Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. ...RESPONDENT. WITH (7) FIRST APPEAL NO.1211 OF 2005 IN LAND ACQUISITION REFERENCE NO.1456 OF 2005 4 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 1. The Special Land Acquisition Officer,Jalgaon U.T.P.H.-1 2. The Executive Engineer, Waghur Project,Jalgaon. ...APPELLANTS. VERSUS 1. Shri Laxman Govinda Barkale, Age 46 years,Occup. Agriculture, R/o Khadgaon.Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. 2. Ramdas Govinda Barkale, Age 32years,Occup. Agriculture, R/o Khadgaon. Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. ...RESPONDENTS. WITH (8) FIRST APPEAL NO.1210 OF 2005 IN LAND ACQUISITION REFERENCE NO.1457 OF 2005 1. The Special Land Acquisition Officer,Jalgaon U.T.P.H.-1 2. The Executive Engineer, Waghur Project,Jalgaon. ...APPELLANTS. VERSUS Smt. Leelabai Ramesh Chinchole, Age 45 years, Occup. Agriculture, R/o Khadgaon. Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. ...RESPONDENT. WITH (9) FIRST APPEAL NO.1208 OF 2005 IN 5 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 LAND ACQUISITION REFERENCE NO.1458 OF 2005 1. The Special Land Acquisition Officer,Jalgaon U.T.P.H.-1 2. The Executive Engineer, Waghur Project,Jalgaon. ...APPELLANTS. VERSUS Bhagwat Vithal Sonawane, Age 45 years, Occup. Agriculture, R/o Khadgaon. Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. ...RESPONDENT. WITH (10) FIRST APPEAL NO.1206 OF 2005 IN LAND ACQUISITION REFERENCE NO.1471 OF 2005 1. The Special Land Acquisition Officer,Jalgaon U.T.P.H.-1 2. The Executive Engineer, Waghur Project,Jalgaon. ...APPELLANTS. VERSUS Shivaji Tulshiram Kale, Age 45 years, Occup. Agriculture, R/o Khadgaon. Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. ...RESPONDENT. WITH (11) FIRST APPEAL NO.1209 OF 2005 IN LAND ACQUISITION REFERENCE NO.1945 OF 2005 1. The Special Land Acquisition Officer,Jalgaon U.T.P.H.-1 6 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 2. The Executive Engineer, Waghur Project,Jalgaon. ...APPELLANTS. VERSUS 1. Shri Rangnath Tukaram Choudhary, Age 55 years, Occup. Agriculture, R/o Khadgaon. Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. 2. Shri Jagannath Rangnath Choudhary, Age 55 years, Occup. Agriculture, R/o Khadgaon. Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. ...RESPONDENTS. WITH (12) FIRST APPEAL NO.254 OF 2005 IN LAND ACQUISITION REFERENCE NO.1481 OF 2005 1. The State of Maharashtra, (Through Collector,Jalgaon) 2. The Special Land Acquisition Officer,Jalgaon U.T.P.H.-1 3. The Executive Engineer, Waghur Project,Jalgaon. ...APPELLANTS. VERSUS 1. Shri Suresh Shamrao Patil, Since deceased his legal heirs- 1a) Padmabai W/o Suresh Patil, Age 46 years, Occup. Agriculturist, 7 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 1b) Dilip Suresh Patil, Age 27 years, Occup. Agriculturist, 1c) Jitendra Suresh Patil, Age 24 years, Occup. Agriculturist, 2. Shri Parmeshwar Shamrao Patil, Age 32 years, Occup. Agriculturist, 3. Smt. Anjanabai W/o Tukaram Patil, Age 63 years,Occup. Agriculturist, 4. Shri Laxman Shamrao Patil, Age 38 years Occup. Agriculturist, 5. Shri Prakash Kadu Patil, Age 45 years,Occup. Agricultrist All R/o Khadgaon. Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon. ...RESPONDENTS. ... Shri.V.B.Ghatge,A.G.P. for Appellants. Shri.A.B.Kale,Advocate for Respondents. ... CORAM: NARESH H. PATIL AND K.K. TATED, JJ. RESERVED ON: 13TH JULY, 2010. PRONOUNCED ON: 30TH JULY, 2010. JUDGMENT : (PER : K.K.TATED, J.) 1. All above First Appeals by the State of Maharashtra are directed against the common Judgment and Award dated 26th April,2005, and the 8 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 Judgment and Award in First Appeal No. 254 of 2005 dated 29th April, 2005 passed by the Joint Civil Judge, Senior Division, Jalgaon enhancing compensation in respect of the acquired lands in favour of the respondents (Original Claimants). A FEW FACTS OF THE MATTER ARE AS UNDER : 2. The Special Land Acquisition Officer (Hereinafter referred to as “SLAO.”) issued a notification under section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act( Hereinafter referred to as “Said Act”) on 22nd November,1997 for acquiring the respondents-Original claimants land from village Khandgaon, Tq. Jamner, District Jalgaon for Waghur Project. Thereafter, the SLAO issued amended notification under section 4 of the Said Act on 24th December, 1998. After following due process of law, the SLAO passed the Award/order on 20th November 2000 and awarded compensation in respect of acquired lands. 3. Being aggrieved by the Award passed by the 9 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 SLAO, dated 20th November, 2000, respondents- original claimants preferred References under section 18 of the Said Act. In the said References, respondents-Original claimants claimed compensation in respect of the acquired lands at the rate of Rs.2,50,000/-(Rupees Two lakhs Fifty Thousand)to Rs.3,00,000/-(Rupees Three lakhs) per Hectare. 4. Mr.Ghatge, learned Assistant Government Pleader appearing on behalf of the present appellants (original respondents) submits that the Reference Court erred in coming to the conclusion that the respondents-Original claimants are entitled to compensation in respect of the acquired lands at the rate of Rs.2,70,000/-(Rupees Two Lakhs Seventy Thousand)per Hectare for seasonal irrigated lands, and at the rate of Rs.3,60,000/-(Rs. Three lakhs Sixty Thousand) per Hectare for irrigated lands. He further submits that the Reference Court wrongly considered the sale deed dated 16th January, 1996 in respect of 50 10 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 Ares of land from village Shingayat, which was sold at the rate of Rs.2,50,000/-(Rs. Two Lakhs Fifty Thousand) Per Hector, though the lands in question are from village Khandgaon. 5. He further submits that the Court below committed error in appreciating the evidence in respect of the sale instances on record in its proper perspective and thereby arrived at wrong conclusion. He further submits that the Reference Court ought to have considered that the acquired lands have no similar advantage, disadvantage, potentiality and quality of the lands under sale instance. The learned A.G.P submits that the Judgment and Award passed by the Reference Court is liable to be set aside. 6. Mr.Kale, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents(original claimants) submits that the Reference Court rightly considered the sale deed dated 16th January 1996 in respect of 50 Ares land for coming to the conclusion that the 11 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 respondents are entitled for compensation in respect of the acquired lands at the rate of Rs.2,70,000/- (Rupees Two Lakhs Seventy Thousand) per Hectare for seasonal irrigated land and at the rate of Rs. 3,60,000/- (Rupees Three Lakhs Sixty Thousand) for irrigated land. He further submits that 100 Acres of land is acquired for Waghur Project by the appellants-State. In some of the matters the State preferred appeals in this Court and same were finally decided against the appellants (Original respondents). He relied on the judgment dated 5th January, 2009 in First Appeal No.729 of 2003 and other two connected matters, judgment dated 5th January 2009 in First Appeal No. 662 of 2003 with other seven connected matters and the judgment dated 30th July, 2009 in First Appeal No. 741 of 2005 with other connected matters. 7. We carefully gone through the judgments produced by the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents-Original claimants in 12 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 First Appeal No. 729 of 2003, the lands were acquired for Waghur Project from village Singayat, Ta. Jamner, District Jalgaon. In that First Appeal notification under section 4 of the Said Act was issued on 21st August,1997 and the SLAO passed the Award on 18th August, 2000. In that case also the claimants relied on the sale deed dated 16th January, 1996 in respect of 50 Ares of land. These appeals preferred by the State of Maharashtra were dismissed by this Court. 8. In the group of First Appeal No.662 of 2003 the lands were acquired for Waghur Project from village Singayat, Ta. Jamner, District Jalgaon. In that case the SLAO issued notification under section 4 of the Said Act on 21st August,1997. The SLAO passed the Award dated 18th August 2000. In that group of Appeals also the claimants relied on the sale deed dated 16th January, 1996 in respect of 50 Ares of land. All these appeals preferred by the State of Maharashtra were dismissed by this Court by judgment and Award dated 5th January, 2009 13 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 upholding the Judgment and Award passed by the Reference Court. 9. In First Appeal No. 741 of 2005 with connected matters, the SLAO issued notification under section 4 of the Said Act dated 24th December, 1998 for acquiring the claimants’ land from village Khandgaon Ta. Jamner, District Jalgaon for the same project i.e. Waghur Project. In that group of Appeals, this High Court relied on the Judgment dated 5th January 2009, in First Appeal No. 729 of 2003 and dismissed the appeals preferred by the State of Maharashtra, against the judgment and Award passed by the Reference Court. 10. By relying on these previous judgments, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents(original claimants) submits that all these proceedings arise out of the one Land Acquisition Proceeding for Waghur Project and the lands acquired are in the vicinity. Therefore, the appeals preferred by the State of Maharashtra 14 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 are liable to be dismissed. 11. We heard both the sides at length. It is admitted fact that in the present group of Appeals, the SLAO acquired the original claimant’s lands for Waghur Project and issued notification under section 4 of the Said Act in the year 1997-98. In the present group of appeals, as well as in decided matters by this Court, the original claimants relied on the sale deed dated 16th January, 1996. On the basis of this sale deed dated 16th January, 1996 the Reference Court enhanced the compensation payable to the claimants at the rate of Rs.2,70,000/-(Rs. Two Lakhs Seventy thousand)per Hectare for seasonal irrigated land and Rs.3,60,000/-(Rupees Three Lakhs Sixty Thousand) per Hectare for irrigated land. 12. It is to be noted that when the lands are situated in the vicinity, acquired for the same purpose and under said notification and order with some gap in that case, the claimants are entitled 15 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 to compensation at the same rate on the ground of parity. The Apex Court in the matter of Union of India Vs. Bal Ram and another reported in AIR 2004 SUPREME COURT 3981, held that the lands are acquired for same project, then Court should see that the claimants get same rate of compensation, unless and until some contrary evidence is brought on record. Following observations are material in the present case: “The High Court taking into consideration that certain other lands coming under different villages which had been acquired for the same purpose, namely Plan Development Area around Palam Airport in the vicinity of Delhi, found that compensation under market value of Rs. 47.224 per bigha would be reasonable and appropriate. In doing so, the High Court followed a decision of this Court in Satpal Vs. Union of India, 1997(11)SCC 423. the ground urged before us is that in view of the decision in Kunwar Singh v. Union of India 1998(8) SCC 136 contiguity of 16 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 villages could not by itself be sufficient to draw an inference of similarity in character of the lands in awarding the compensation and, therefore, the reasoning of the High Court is not correct. The High Court indeed did not rely upon the contiguity of the lands alone but it found that the nature/quality of the lands is by and large similar to those lands considered in Satpal’s case. If that is the finding of the High Court, we do not think there would be any justification to make any distinction between lands which had been lying in Palam and Shahabad Mohamadpur. Therefore, the view taken by the High Court cannot be faulted with. The High Court also found that it would be unfair to discriminate between the land owners to pay more to some and less to others when the purpose of acquisition is same and lands are identical and similar, though lying in different villages, we find the judgment of the High Court to be fair and reasonable and no interference is called for.” 17 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 13. In similar way, this High Court in the matter of Bayaji Tatya Kalunge Vs. State of Maharashtra reported in 2007(Supp.) Bom. C. R. 771 held that the claimants were entitled to compensation at the same rate, on the ground of parity. Para No.5 of the said Judgment reads as under: “5. In this group matter, one appeal came to be filed (First Appeal No. 50/1993) against the order passed by the Reference Court in Land Acquisition Reference No.97/1985 This Court ( Coram : D. S. Zoting, J.) held that, the claimants, in that appeal, were entitled to receive compensation at the rate of Rs.35,000/- per Hectare, in case of Bagayat land and, at the rate of Rs. 17,500/-per Hectare in case of Jiryat land on the basis of the award passed by the Reference Court earlier in L.A.R. No. 101/1985. In the present case before us also, as all these, lands are situated in the same village and, were acquired for the same purpose, under the same notification, the appellants (claimants) are entitled to compensation 18 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 at same rate, as it was awarded in L.A.R. No.101/1985, on the ground of parity. Learned Judge was wrong in not awarding compensation to the appellants (claimants) at this rate. Therefore, it is necessary to interfere with the finding and the order recorded by the learned Judge. In the result, the appeal must partly succeed. First Appeal No. 264/1992 is partly allowed, the judgment and order passed by the Second Joint Civil Judge, Senior Division, Ahmednagar on 30.06.1989, in L.A.R. No. 95/1985 is modified, now, the respondent State do pay compensation to the appellant at the rate of Rs.35,000/- per Hectare, in case of Bagayat land and, at the rate of Rs. 17,500/- per Hectare, in case of Jiryat land, alongwith all the statutory benefits, which are available under the Land Acquisition Act,1894. The appeal is partly allowed accordingly. In appeal, the parties are directed to bear their own costs.” 19 F.A.No. 1205.05 +12 14. It is an admitted fact that the appellants have not brought any cogent evidence on record to justify that this High Court’s Judgment as cited supra can not be made applicable to the present case. Therefore, considering the facts and circumstances of the present case and considering the previous judgments of this Court in respect of the acquired lands for the same project, we do not find any substance in the appeals preferred by the State of Maharashtra, hence we pass following order: Order. (i) The Judgment and Award dated 26th April, 2005 passed by the Reference Court, Jalgaon is upheld. (ii) The First Appeals preferred by the State of Maharashtra are dismissed with costs. Sd/- Sd/- [K.K. TATED, J.] [NARESH H. PATIL, J.] MTK