HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE L. NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.6778 OF 2009 ORDER: The lands in various survey numbers and extents mentioned in the affidavit, filed in support of the writ petition, in Saripalli and Atmaramuni Agraharam Villages, Nellimarla Mandal and Chollangipeta Village, Denkada Mandal, Vizianagaram District, were notified for acquisition for the purpose of irrigation project. The award enquiry in respect of the lands is said to be in progress. The petitioners, on the one hand and the 5th respondent on the other, laid claim for compensation. The grievance of the petitioners is that the Land Acquisition Officer, the 2nd respondent herein, is proposing to pay the compensation to the 5th respondent to their exclusion, though they made a representations on 22-06-2008 and 24-02-2009 with a request to refer the matter to the Civil Court under Section 30 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short ‘the Act’). 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners, learned Government Pleader for Land Acquisition and the learned counsel for the 5th respondent. 3. The very purpose of conducting the award enquiry is to verify the existence of title in the persons claiming compensation. If there is no dispute as to the entitlement of any claimant, the compensation has to be paid to him and on the other hand, if there are many claims for compensation in respect of an item of acquired property, the only course open to the Land Acquisition Officer is to refer the matter to the Civil Court. He cannot undertake adjudication of disputes. 4. Hence, the Writ Petition is disposed of directing the 2nd respondent to examine the claims of the petitioners on the one hand and the 5th respondent on the other. If he finds that there is no unanimity of the claims among them, he shall refer the matter to the Civil Court under Section 30 of the Act. It is also directed that if any awards are passed during the pendency of the writ petition and rival claims are made for payment of compensation, and that the amount has not been disbursed as yet, the 2nd respondent shall consider the feasibility of referring the matter to the civil Court, duly depositing the compensation amount to the credit of the O.P. There shall be no order as to costs. ____________________ L.NARASIMHA REDDY, J March 15, 2011. KTL