IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) THURSDAY, THE THIRTY FIRST DAY OF JANUARY TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE C.V.NAGARJUNA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.1463 of 2008 Between: K.Muni Reddy and 8 others ..... PETITIONERS AND The Land Acquisition Officer and Revenue Divisional Officer, Tirupathi, Chittoor District .....RESPONDENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE C.V.NAGARJUNA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.1463 of 2008 ORDER: This writ petition is filed for a Writ of Mandamus to declare the action of the respondents in not considering the representation of the petitioners for reference of their clam for enhanced compensation under Section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short ‘the Act’) to the competent Civil Court, as illegal and arbitrary. The petitioner also sought for consequential direction to the respondent to refer their claims to the competent Civil Court under Sec.18 of the Act. Heard Sri P.Ganga Rami Reddy, learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Asst.Govt.Pleader for Land Acquisition. In the affidavit filed in support of the writ petition, the petitioner contended that some of their lands were acquired under Award No.6/2007, dated 30.04.2007, and also they were served with notice of award on 08.06.2007, and that on 23.06.2007 they filed applications for reference of dispute regarding fixation of compensation under Sec.18 of the Act to the competent Civil Court. The grievance of the petitioners is that though substantial time elapsed, the respondent has not taken any decision on their applications. Under Sec.18 of the Act, a person who is not satisfied with the award passed by the Collector has a right to seek reference of dispute to an appropriate Civil Court. If such person was present at the time of making the award, he shall make a request within of six weeks from the date of the award, and in other cases, such request shall made within six months of receipt of the notice from the Collector under Sec.12(2) or within six months from the date of Collector’s Award. If the respondent is satisfied that the applications made by the petitioners are well within the time as prescribed in Sec.18, he is left with no option other than to refer the dispute to Civil Court. This Writ Petition is, therefore, disposed of, with a direction to the respondent to consider the applications of the petitioners, and if he is satisfied that they were made within the time prescribed by Sec.18(2) of the Act, he shall refer their applications to Civil Court under Sec.18, within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. ____________________________ C.V.NAGARJUNA REDDY,J Dated: 31.01.2008 Dsr