1. The land of the petitioner was acquired for the purpose of construction of road, having Thana No. 116, Khata No. 27, Plot Nos. 31, 35 and 36, ad measuring 49 decimals. The land has been acquired under the provision of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in and Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (in short, 'the 2013 Act').

2. Learned Counsel for the petitioner submits thawt in the notification for acquisition, the land of the petitioner was described as 'residential land', but at the time of payment of compensation, the award has been prepared showing the land of the petitioner as 'agricultural land'. The award Patna High Court CWJC No.4575 of 2024(3) dt.27-02-2026 2/3 amount passed by the District Land Acquisition Officer, Araria, is Rs. 13,13,200/- on 30.01.2019.

3. Being aggrieved by the award amount, the petitioner preferred a reference case before the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authority (LARRA), which, after hearing all the parties, including the respondents, allowed the reference of the petitioner and enhanced the compensation amount to Rs. 69,85,734/- after deducting the received amount Rs. 13,52,596/-, along with 9 per cent interest and an award was prepared to this effect on 28.03.2022. The respondents are not paying the amount fixed by LARRA and are dilly dallying the matter.

4. On the other hand, learned Counsel for the State submits that an appeal has been filed under Section 74 of the 2013 Act against the award passed by the LARRA, which is still pending before this Court.

5. In reply, learned Counsel for the petitioner submits that as per Section 74 of the 2013 Act, an appeal has to be decided by this Court expeditiously preferably within a period of six months, but the appeal filed by the respondent-State is still defective and even the case Patna High Court CWJC No.4575 of 2024(3) dt.27-02-2026 3/3 number has not been given to the said appeal.

6. Considering the statement made by the parties, the respondents are granted six weeks' time to take steps for hearing of appeal filed by them.

7. List this case, under the same heading, on 16th April, 2026.

(Anil Kumar Sinha, J.) Prabhakar Anand/-