RFA No. 2534 of 1993 -1- In the High Court of Punjab & Haryana at Chandigarh Date of decision : 30.8.2010 1. RFA No. 2534 of 1993 (O&M) Goverdhan Dass ..... Appellant vs State of Punjab and another .... Respondents 2. RFA No. 2535 of 1993 (O&M) Narinder Kumar ..... Appellant vs State of Punjab and another .... Respondents Coram: Hon'ble Mr. Justice Rajesh Bindal Present: None for the appellants. Mr. Yatinder Sharma, Deputy Advocate General, Punjab. Rajesh Bindal J. This order will dispose of the aforesaid appeals as the same arise out of one award. The landowners have filed these appeals seeking enhancement of compensation for the acquired land. Briefly, the facts are that vide notification dated 18.12.1988 which was published in the Government Gazette on 21.12.1988 issued under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short, “the Act”), the State of Punjab acquired land situated within the revenue estate of village Jaswant Pura alias Hotipur, Tehsil Sunam, District Sangrur, for construction of Jaswant Pura Sub Minor No. 3 of Karamgarh Link No. 2. The Land Acquisition Collector (for short, `the Collector') assessed the market value of the acquired land @ ` 35,000/- per acre. Aggrieved against the award of the Collector, the land owners filed objections under Section 18 of the Act. On reference, the learned court below dismissed the reference as the appellants failed to adduce any evidence. It is this award of the learned Reference Court which is impugned in the present appeals. The case was shown in the list of taken up cases more than five days, however, no one appeared for the appellants. The same is the position today. A perusal of the impugned award shows that before the court below the appellants did not adduce any documentary evidence inspite of grant of numerous opportunities to lead evidence. Even the appellants failed to appear in the witness box. Since there was no evidence available with the court below to RFA No. 2534 of 1993 -2- opine that the assessment of the market value as done by the Collector was not just and fair, it had rightly dismissed the reference. As there is no evidence available on the record, prima facie, no case for enhancement of compensation is made out. However, as no one has appeared for the appellants, both the appeals are dismissed in default. 30.8.2010 (Rajesh Bindal) vs. Judge