IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) THURSDAY, THE TWENTY FOURTH DAY OF JULY TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT PRESENT THE HON'BLE MS JUSTICE G.ROHINI WRIT PETITION NO : 5602 of 2008 Between: 1 Pothapi Narasimhulu, S/o. Penchalaiah @ Chinna Penchalaiah, 2 P. Narasimhulu, Son of Narasimhulu, 3 Shaik Khasim, S/o. Imam Saheb, 4 Yelakacherla Pedda Yellaiah, S/o. Rangaiah, 5 P. Chinna Gangamma, W/o. Nalla Kondaiah, 6 Pothip Mallaiah, S/o. Ramaiah, 7 Pothapi Ramaiah, S/o. Chinna Kondaiah, 8 Chinthamreddy Subba rami reddy, S/o. Rami Reddy, 9 Smt. E. Saradamma, W/o. Gopalaiah, 10 Madhu Subbarayudu, S/o. Rosaiah, 11 Guduu Narasimhulu, S/o. Narasaiah, 12 E. Mallesh, S/o. Late Pedda Kondaiah, 13 Itha Mallesh, S/o. Kondaiah @ Pedda Kondaiah, 14 Peddireddy Bujjamma, W/o. Rama Subba Reddy, 15 Methukuru Narayanamma, W/o. Konda Reddy, 16 Urubindi Manohar Reddy, S/o. Pedda Narasimhulu, 17 Bathalapalli Ramanamma, W/o. Venkatasubbaiah, 18 Shaik Ibrahim, S/o. Mahboob Saheb, 19 D. Pedda Venkatamma, W/o. Chinnaiah, 20 Annapareddy Venkatamma, W/o. Sattaiah, 21 Daladulla Chinna Venkatamma, W/o. Subbarayudu, 22 Muthuku Konda Reddy, S/o. Narayana Reddy, 23 Urubindi Pedda Narasaiah, S/o. Penchala Reddy, 24 P. Chinnakondaiah, S/o. Mallem Kondaiah, 25 Pothappi Narasamma, W/o. Mallem Kondaiah, 26 Pothappi Sambaiah, S/o. Mallem Kondaiah, 27 Kondlapalli Malleswaramma, W/o. Venkatesh, 28 Pothappi Pedda Kondaiah, S/o. Mallem Kondaiah, 29 Pothappi Chinna Gangamma, W/o. Mallem Kondaiah, 30 Konduru Rajamma, W/o. Gangaiah, 31 Pothappi Pedda Gangamma, W/o. Pedda Kondaiah, 32 Pothappi Chinnaiah, W/o. Pedda Kondaiah, 33 Pothappi Penchalaiah, S/o. Yanadaiah, 34 Pothappi Yanadaiah, S/o. Penchalaiah, 35 P. Yanadaiah, S/o. Penchalaiah, 36 Pothappi Penchalaiah, S/o. Yanadaiah, 37 Pothappi Yanadaiah, S/o. Adavaiah, 38 Pothappi Chinnaiah, S/o. Adavaiah, 39 Pothappi Chinnaiah, S/o. Adavaiah, 40 Pothappi Penchalamma, W/o. Subbaiah, 41 Kasala Kondamma, W/o. Kondaiah, 42 Itta Chinna Kondaiah, S/o. Pedda Kondaiah, 43 Itta Penchalamma, W/o. late Pedda Kondaiah, 44 Itta Chinna Kondaiah, W/o. Itta Pedda Kondaiah, 45 Obulam Ankaiah, S/o. Kondaiah, 46 Thummaluru Ankaiah, S/o. Ramaiah, 47 Thummaluru Kondaiah, S/o. Ramaiah, 48 Sakili Suseelamma, W/o. Late Subbaiah, 49 Itta Nadipaiah, S/o. Pedda Kondaiah, 50 Itta Mallesh, W/o. Itta Kondaiah, 51 Kasala Chinnaiah, S/o. Kondaiah, 52 Subbamma, W/o. Late Kondaiah, 53 Sagili Chinnakondaiah, S/o. Yerraiah @ Peddaiah, 54 Itta Rosaiah, S/o. Nadipi Kondaiah, 55 Kasala Malleswaramma, W/o. Late Kasala Subbarayudu, 56 Obulam Subbamma, W/o. Late Kondaiah, 57 P. Chinnaiah, S/o. Adavaiah, 58 Konduru Malleswaramma, W/o. Santayya, 59 Gattupalle Kondaiah, S/o. Konda Reddy, 60 Pothappi Chinnaiah, S/o. Adavaiah, 61 Banala Venkatasubbaiah, S/o. Venkataiah, 62 Shaik Haneebhi @ Manamma, W/o. Madar saheb, 63 Avula Venkatasubbaiah, S/o. Subbaiah, 64 Madamala Narasaiah, S/o. Narasaiah, 65 Guduru Pedda Pottaiah, S/o. Penchalaiah, 66 Guduru K. Narasimhulu, S/o. Pullaiah, 67 P. Chinnapenchalaiah @ Penchalaiah, S/o. Chinnapenchalaiah, 68 Pothappi Narasimhulu, S/o. Chinnapenchalaiah, 69 Pothappi Chinnaiaha @ Chinna Penchalaiah, S/o. Chinnapenchalaiah, 70 Kota Narasaiah, S/o. Gundaiah, 71 Pothappi Chinnaiaha, S/o. Chinna Penchalaiah, 72 Pothappi Venkatasubbamma, W/o. Gundaiah, 73 Pothappi Narasimhulu, S/o. Narasaiah, 74 Cheruvupalli Chinnakka, W/o. Krishnaiah, 75 Guduru Chinna Pottaiah, S/o. Penchalaiah, 76 Pallam Narasimhulu, S/o. Penchalaiah, 77 Mallu Narasimha Reddy, S/o. Lakshmi Reddy, 78 Kaluvoy Venkatasubba Reddy, S/o. Ramaiah, 79 Midamala Narasimhulu, S/o. Penchalaiah, 80 Midamala Pullaiah, S/o. Penchalaiah, 81 Muthuku Ramalakshumama, W/o. Narasaiah, 82 Midamala Penchalaiah, @ Thirupalu, S/o. Penchalaiah, 83 Obulam Ankamma, W/o. Late Kondaiah, 84 Sagili Mallem Kondaiah, S/o. Peddaiah, 85 Thummaluru Gopalamma, W/o. Thirupalaiah, 86 Peddareddy Bujjamma, W/o. Rama Subba Reddy, 87 Sagili Ramasubbamma, W/o. Ramachandra, 88 Mamidi Sudhakar Reddy, S/o. Chenna Reddy, 89 Konda Lakshumamma, W/o. Late K. Narasa Reddy, 90 Sagili Mallem Kondaiah @ Kondaiah, S/o. Papaiah, @ Kondaiah, 91 Sagili Mallem Kondaiah, S/o. Kondaiah, 92 Sagili Chinna Kondaiah, S/o. Peddaiah, 93 Rampati Jayam, W/o. Subba Rayudu, 94 Devireddy Eswara Reddy, S/o. Venkata Reddy, 95 Urubindi Venkata Subbaiah, S/o. Penchala Reddy, 96 Urubindi Pedda Narasimha Reddy, S/o. Late Penchala Reddy, 97 Gattupalli Subbamma, W/o. Subba Reddy, 98 Peddireddy Bujjamma, W/o. Ramasubba Reddy, 99 Dudekula Peeramma Died his L.R. Son Kalesaheb Saheb, 100 Kota Subba Narasaiah, S/o. Narasaiah, All are Agricultuists, R/o. Needurupalli Village, Gopavaram Mandal, Kadapa District. ..... PETITIONERS AND 1 The Govt Of A.P Rep.by its Secretary Irregation and Command Area Development Department,Secretariat Hyd. 2 The Special Collector(LA)(GNSS) Galeru Nagari Sujala Sravanthi Sankapuram Kadapa Dist 3 The Special Deputy Collector(L.A) Telugu Ganga Project Unit-II Mamillapalle,Kadapa .....RESPONDENTS Petition under Article 226 of the constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the Affidavit filed herein the High Court will be pleased to issue an appropriate writ, order or direction more particularly one in the nature of writ of Mandamus directing the respondents 1 to 3 herein to award interest of the market value solatium and additional market value from the date of award dt.3-6-1994 (date of taking possession) to date of realization instead of from the date 28-A applications ie 11-2-1994 and 3-3-1994 on par with the judgment and Decree of the Dist Judge Kadapa dt.25-2-2002 in LAOP No.890 and 891 of 1999 and pay the same to the petitioners herein in pursuance of their applications field under sections 28-A dt.11- 2-1994 and 3-3-1994. Counsel for the Petitioners : MR. D.KODANDARAMI REDDY Counsel for the Respondents : GP FOR LAND ACQUISITION The Court made the following : THE HON’BLE Ms. JUSTICE G. ROHINI WRIT PETITION NO.5602 OF 2008 ORDER : The houses and structures belonging to the petitioners herein situated in Rekalakunta Village, Gopavaram Mandal, Kadapa District, were acquired under the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short, ‘the Act’) for the purpose of foreshore submergence under 330 contour of Somasila Project. The notification under Section 4(1) of the Act was published on 11.2.1994 and 3.3.1994, vide Gazette No.4/TGP/94 and Gazette No.8/TGP/94 respectively. Thereafter, compensation was determined vide Award Nos.1/94-95 and 2/94-95, on 3.6.1994 and Supplementary Award Nos.6/94-95 and 7/95-96 on 31.08.2005. Aggrieved by the compensation awarded, some of the claimants covered by the notification sought reference under Section 18 of the Act. Pursuant thereto LAOP.Nos.890 & 891 of 1999 on the file of the Court of the District Judge, Kadapa were tried and decided by order dated 25.2.2002 fixing the compensation for houses and structures by 100% over and above the market value awarded by the Land Acquisition Officer. It is stated that the petitioners herein, who could not seek reference under Section 18 of the Act, made an application under Section 28-A of the Act for re- determination of the compensation on the basis of the Award passed by the District Court, Kadapa in LAOP.Nos.890 & 891 of 1999. Since the said application was not considered, the petitioners filed W.P.Nos.27219 and 27220 of 2006 and the same were disposed of on 29.12.2006 directing the respondents to dispose of the applications within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of that order. In the meanwhile, the Government preferred Appeals LAAS.No.113 of 2006 and LAAS.No.3903 of 2003 against the order of the Reference Court in LAOP.Nos.890 & 891 of 1999. The said appeals were allowed by a Division Bench of this Court in part by order dated 18.04.2006 reducing the compensation from 100% to 80%, however awarding all statutory benefits including interest, solatium and additional market value. Thereafter, the petitioners requested the respondents to pass an order on their applications under Section 28-A of the Act as directed by this Court in W.P.Nos.27219 & 27220 of 2006. Surprisingly, the 3rd respondent by order dated 21.8.2007 rejected the applications of the petitioners on untenable grounds. Aggrieved by the same, the petitioners filed W.P.No.19251 of 2007 and the same was allowed by order dated 12.12.2007. In pursuance thereof, the 3rd respondent passed a fresh order dated 29.12.2007 in which though the compensation was awarded on the basis of the award in LAOP.Nos.890 & 891 of 1999, the interest at 9% was awarded for one year from the date of application under Section 28-A of the Act instead of the date of passing of award as was done by the Reference Court. Aggrieved by the same, the petitioners filed the present writ petition. I have heard the learned counsel for the petitioners as well as the learned Government Pleader appearing for the respondents. There can be no dispute about the settled legal position that re-determination under Section 28-A of the Act shall be made on the basis of compensation awarded by Reference Court including the interest and other statutory benefits. It is brought to my notice that in identical circumstances W.P.No.13241 of 2008 was disposed of by this Court setting aside the order passed by the Land Acquisition Officer to the extent of awarding interest. The fact that the petitioners herein are also similarly situated has not been disputed by the learned Government Pleader. In the circumstances, I deem it appropriate to dispose of the Writ Petition setting aside the impugned order to the extent of the interest awarded and holding that the petitioners herein shall be entitled to interest in terms of the award passed by the Court of District Judge, Kadapa in LAOP.Nos.890 & 891 of 1999 as modified by this Court in Appeals. Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of modifying the impugned order to the extent indicated above. No costs. ______________ G. ROHINI, J. Dt. 24.07.2008 gbs