IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE PIUS C.KURIAKOSE WEDNESDAY, THE 3RD DECEMBER 2008 / 12TH AGRAHAYANA 1930 WP(C).No. 35137 of 2008(G) -------------------------- PETITIONERS: --------------- 1. JAGADAMMA, THEKKEKUNNAYYATHU MUTHUPILLAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 2. KOCHAYYA CHELLAMMA, MAVILAYIL, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 3. GOPALAKRISHNA PILLAI, KUTEELETH PUTHIYA VEEDU, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 4. RADHAMMA, THEKKEKUNNAYATHU MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 5. K.R.GOVINDA PILLAI, KANDANALLOOR VEEDU, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 6. SANTHAMMA PILLAI, NEDUVILA PATINJATTATHIL THEKKEPPURAYIL MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 7. SURENDRAN PILLAI, CHENGANASSERY VEETTIL MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 8. CHELLAMMA AMMA, KANNIMELAZHIKATHU (KUZHINTHADATHIL VEEDU) MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 9. MADHAVI AMMA, MELECHAVANIPLAVILA MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 10. JANAKI AMMA, KUZHINTHATATHIL EDAPPURAYIL MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 11. SARASAMMA, GEETHA BHAVAN, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. WPC 35137 -2- 12. JOYKUTTY, S/O.LUCOSE GEEVARGHESE PARAVILA PUTHEN VEEDU, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 13. SREEDHARAN PILLAI, PUNTHALA VEEDU, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 14. THANKAPPAN PILLAI, VALUTHUNDIL VEEDU, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 15. DEVAYANI AMMA, KAIPPALLAZHIKATHU VEEDU, (KIZHAKKEPULAYARAZHIKATHU VEEDU) MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 16. GOPINATHAN NAIR, KANNIMELAZHIKATHU PUTHEN VEEDU MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 17. SINDHU, MANGATTU VEEDU, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 18. CHELLAPPAN PILLAI, MELEKUNNATHAYYATHU, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 19. KUTTAPPAN NAIR, MELEKUNNATHAYYATHU, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 20. OMANA AMMA, THATTANTAYYATH VEEDU, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 21. BALAKRISHNA PILLAI, BINDHU BHAVANAM, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 22. THANKAPPAN PILLAI, KANDANALLOOR THEKKATHIL VEEDU, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 23. PONNAMMA AMMA, KANDANALLOOR PADINJATTATHIL, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 24. INDIRA DEVI AMMA, KUTTEELAZHIKATHU PADINJATTATHIL, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 25. THANKAMMA AMMA, NEDUVELIPADINJATTATHIL MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. WPC 35137/08 -3- 26. RAMAKRISHNA PILLAI, SIVA BHAVANAM, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 27. DEVAYANI AMMA, KAIPPALLAZHIKATHU VEEDU, (KIZHAKKEPULAYARAZHIKATHU VEEDU), MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 28. JAGADAMMA, KOCHUPALLATHU VEEDU, PALLISSERIKKAL, SASTHAMCOTTA. 29. MURALEEDHARAN PILLAI, ALAPPURATHU VEEDU, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 30. GOPALA PILLAI, VALIYA VEETTIL KIZHAKKATHIL, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 31. MURALEEDHARAN PILLAI, PUNTHALA VADAKKATHIL, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 32. THANKACHAN K.E., KODIYAVILA PUTHENVEEDU, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 33. CHELLAMMA AMMA, THEKKEKANNIMELAZHIKATHU VEEDU, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. 34. SASI, S/O.AYYA KOCHIKKA THUNDIL VEEDU, (MAVILAYIL VEEDU) MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMCOTTA. BY ADV. SRI.B.SURESH KUMAR RESPONDENTS: --------------- 1. THE STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY TO THE REVENUE DEPARTMENT, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, KOLLAM. 3. THE SPECIAL TAHSILDAR (LA) NO.II, KOTTIYAM P.O., KOLLAM. BY SR. GOVT. PLEADER MR.BASANT BALAJI WPC 35137/08 -4- THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 03/12/2008, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: PIUS C. KURIAKOSE,J. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - W.P.(C) No.35137 of 2008 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dated: 3rd December, 2008 JUDGMENT The grievance of the petitioners is that though awards under Section 28A have been passed in their favour by the third respondent-Land Acquisition Officer, till date, the interest which is payable to them under Section 34 on the redetermined compensation has not been paid. Under Ext.P1 this court directed the Land Acquisition Officer to calculate the interest and to release payment within three months. This court even directed that if the Land Acquisition Officer does not calculate the interest due to the petitioners within the time frame of three months, interest shall be paid from the date of Ext.P1 till the date of payment. Counsel for the petitioners submits that in respect of 26 petitioners interest has been calculated, but not paid. Regarding others, due to some technical reason, even the calculation of interest is deferred by the Land Acquisition Officer. The Government Pleader submits that the Government has a contention that the Government cannot be made liable to pay interest which has occasioned on account of the delay caused by the petitioners in the matter of approaching this court. Whatever that be, the respondents are bound to honour Ext.P1 W.P.C.No.35137/08 - 2 - judgment of this court. I therefore dispose of the Writ Petition issuing the following directions: The third respondent is directed to release payment immediately of the statutory interest determined under Section 34 in the case of those 26 petitioners in whose cases interest is already determined. In the case of other petitioners also, there will be a direction to the third respondent to calculate within two weeks of receiving copy of this judgment the interest which is due to them under Section 34. The amounts so calculated will be released to them also within 10 days of the calculation made. If the petitioners are aggrieved by the calculation of interest by the third respondent, it is open to them to approach this court by initiating fresh proceedings. srd PIUS C.KURIAKOSE, JUDGE