THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE N.V. RAMANA Writ Petition No.22765 of 2006 ORDER: The petitioners, who are 12 in number, filed this writ petition aggrieved by the action of the respondents in not referring their claim under Section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short ‘the Act’) to the Court of the Senior Civil Judge, Adoni in respect of Award, dated 17.10.2000. The petitioners state that their lands were acquired by the respondents for providing house sites to the weaker sections of the society and an award was passed on 17.10.2000 fixing the compensation at Rs.42,000/- per acre. That aggrieved by the compensation fixed, they claim to have filed applications in terms of Section 18 of the Act, in vain. Hence, the present writ petition seeking appropriate directions in this regard. This Court issued Rule nisi as long back as on 12.02.2007. But, however, no counter affidavit has been filed. Today, when the matter is taken up for consideration, the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Land Acquisition appearing for the respondents produced a draft counter of the respondents admitting that the petitioners have made applications for reference under Section 18 of the Act, but due to other urgent pre-occupied works, they could not refer the matter to the civil Court. That as there is delay in referring the matter, the second respondent wrote a letter to the Commissioner of Social Welfare, Hyderabad seeking permission to refer the matter to the civil Court. That as and when such permission is given, the respondents would refer the matter to the civil Court under Section 18 of the Act. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Land Acquisition appearing for the respondents. It is settled principle of law that once an application seeking reference under Section 18 of the Act is filed within the time prescribed, the Land Acquisition Officer is bound to refer the matter to the civil Court. Admittedly, in the case on hand, the petitioners made their applications seeking reference under Section 18 of the Act within time, as is evident from the draft counter. Therefore, there is no justification on the part of the respondents in not referring the claim of the petitioners to the civil Court under Section 18 of the Act. During the course of hearing, the learned Assistant Government Pleader sought three weeks’ time for referring the matter to the civil Court. In the circumstances, it would be appropriate to dispose of the writ petition with the following direction: The respondents are directed to refer the claim of the petitioners under Section 18 of the Act to the civil Court, within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of. No costs. ___________________ N.V. RAMANA, J. Date:01.04.2010 VGB