IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Civil Writ Petition No.15727 of 2011 Date of decision: 26.08.2011 Harvinder Singh and another …..Petitioners versus State of Punjab and others ……Respondents CORAM: Hon’ble Mr.Justice Jasbir Singh Hon’ble Mr.Justice Augustine George Masih Present: Mr.Padamkant Dwivedi, Advocate for the petitioners Jasbir Singh, J. (Oral) Notice of motion. On asking of the Court, Mr.Manohar Lall, Addl.A.G. Punjab accepts notice on behalf of the respondents. By filing this writ petition, the petitioners have laid challenge to the notices dated 2.8.2011 (P3 and P4). It is their prayer that those notices be quashed having been issued without any authority whatsoever. Record shows that vide the notifications, mentioned above, the petitioners have been directed to refund the amount, which allegedly, they had received in excess to their entitlement. Interest has also been imposed @ 15%. It is grievance of the petitioners that before issuing the above said notices, no opportunity of hearing has been granted to them. Further in the notices, it is also not mentioned as to what are the reasons to claim the Civil Writ Petition No.15727 of 2011 amount in dispute and how it is stated that the petitioners had received amount in excess. It is apparent from the record that petitioners’ land was acquired as per law and thereafter, the amount towards compensation was paid to them in the year 2006. We have perused the notices in question. No reason has been given to claim the amount in dispute. Faced with the situation, Mr.Manohar Lall, Addl.A.G. Punjab, states that let these notices be treated as show cause notices and an opportunity be granted to the petitioners to file a reply. Thereafter, the Land Acquisition Collector will pass an order, if need be. Under the circumstances, we dispose of this writ petition, permitting the petitioners to file a reply to the notices dated 2.8.2011 (P3 and P4) within a period of three weeks from today. The Land Acquisition Collector then shall pass a detailed order stating as to under what circumstances the amount, if any, is claimed from the petitioners. Till such time the order is passed by the Land Acquisition Collector and fifteen days thereafter, no coercive steps be initiated to recover the amount in dispute. A copy of the order be given to the State counsel under signatures of Court Secretary. (Jasbir Singh) Judge 26.08.2011 (Augustine George Masih) gk Judge 2