These appeals involving common questions of law and fact were taken up for hearing together and are being disposed of by this common judgment.  The lands situated inter alia in villages V1, V2, V3 and V4 were acquired by the State for the purpose of use thereof by the Appellant. A notification was issued on 31.7.1986. The declaration was issued on 29.12.1987. Upon service of notice upon the claimants, the Collector made an award. In doing so, several deeds of sale executed between 1981 and 1982 in respect of lands adjoining some of the villages were taken into consideration and market value of the land was determined at the rate of Rs. 1.55 per sq. m. The claimants Respondents did not accept the said award and prayed for a reference to the Civil Court. Such a reference having been made the Reference Court purported to be relying on or on the basis of judgments dated 30th October, 1996 and 10th November, 1996 passed by 4th Extra Assistant Judge and 2nd Extra Assistant Judge respectively in L.A. R. Case No. 1349/92 and 1314/92 passed an award computing the amount of compensation at the rate of Rs. 10/- per sq. m. The Appellant herein was not impleaded as a party in the Reference Court. It had, thus, no opportunity also to adduce any evidence either before the Land Acquisition Collector or before the Reference Court. It preferred appeals before the High Court being aggrieved by and dissatisfied with the said judgment and award passed by the Reference Court. A contention raised by the Appellant before the High Court inter alia was that the Reference Judge acted illegally and without jurisdiction in passing the said judgment solely on the basis of the deposition of one P1 who alleged that the agricultural lands which he and others had been cultivating were of high fertility and three crops in a year were grown therein. The witness further alleged that the village was well-developed. He further contended that the lands of one P2 was acquired for the Appellant wherein compensation at the rate of Rs. 10/- per sq. m. was awarded. It was argued that the Reference Court was bound to consider the deeds of sale relied upon by the Collector in his Award. High Court rejected the said contentions stating that the Reference Court had not committed any error of law in taking into consideration the evidence adduced by the said witness. It was held: "It appears that after the evidence, another judgment was pointed to the Reference Court for which there is a reference in the impugned judgment. The lands covered under that reference cases were situated in the sim of village V1 and V5 and the Reference Court awarded Rs. 10/- per sq. mtrs. In the instant case, the lands are situated at village V1. In view of this evidence, we find no substance in the appeals and appeals are dismissed."