Tek Ram v. Union of India & Anr

Delhi High Court · 19 Sep 2011 · 2011:DHC:19055
Pradeep Nandrajog
LA.APP. 89/2011
2011:DHC:19055
property appeal_dismissed Significant

AI Summary

The Delhi High Court upheld the Reference Court's compensation award for land acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, emphasizing reliance on government-notified minimum prices and rejecting fanciful sale deeds as unreliable evidence of fair market value.

Full Text
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-o $-36 HIGH COURT OF DELHI
LA.APP. 89/2011
TEK RAM
Through: None.
Appellant
VERSUS
UNION OF INDIA &ANR
Through:
Respondents Mr.Sanjay Poddar, Senior Advocate with Mr.Sanjay
Pathak, Advocate for UOI.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE PRADEEP NANDRAJOG
19.09.2011 For orders, see LA.App.No.999/2010.
SEPTEMBER 19, 2011 mm PRADEEP NANDRAJOG. J.
2011:DHC:19055 J /O, © HIGH COURT OF DELHI ludament ReservedOn: 10^^ August 2011 ludqment DeliveredOn: 19^'^ September. 2011
LA.APP.
CM No.6549/12 999/2010 & Oil (Cross-Objection)
RAJ SINGH
Through; Ivir.B.S.
Mr.Deep . Mr.N.S.' Appellant Mann, Advocate ak Khosia, Advocate and
Negi, Advocate.
/s.
UOI & ANOTHER Tu L- ^ Respondents
Through: Mr.Sanjay Poddar, Senior Advocate & Mr.Sanjay Kumar Pathak, Mr.Sachin
Nawani, Kaomud Mr.Siddharth Panda and Ms.K Kiran, Advocates for R-1
AN
LA.APP. 961/2010, .
No.12885/2011, LA.APP. 100
LA.APP. 1009/2010, LA..
1036/2010 & CM No.12865/2 6/2011 & CM No.6756/20:.
No.6740/2011, LA.APP. 41/2C 142/2011, LA.APP. 160/201]
163/2011 LA.APP. 246/2011 248/2011, LA.APP. 298/2011
375/2011, LA.APP. 386/2011 394/2011, LA.APP. 397/2011
407/2011.
(Relating to Notification u/S Award No, 06/2002-2003, Villa
LA.APP. 1001/2010 & CM
7/2010 &CM No.15181/2011, APP. 1010/2010, LA.APP
Oil, LA.APP. 5/2011, LA.APP.
I, LA.APP. 38/2011 & CM II, LA.APP. 89/2011, LA.APP.
, LA.APP. 161/2011, LA.APP.
LA.APP. 247/2011, LA.APP.
/LA.APP. 3.47/2011, LA.APP.
, LA.APP. 387/2011, LA.APP , LA.APP. 406/2011, LA.APP. ec. 4 dated 15.09.2000 & ge-Bhalswa Jahangir Puri)
AK D
LA.App.No.999/2010 &connected mattdrs Page 1 of22
LA.APP. 57/2011 :&
83/2011 LA.APP. 130/2011 LA.APP. 132/2011, 164/2011,;. LA.APP. 200/2011, 202/2011, LA.APP. 216/2011, 241/2011, LA.APP. 242/2011, 244/2011, LA.APP. 245/2011, LA.APP. 323/2011
LA.APP.346/2011, LA.APP. 348/2011 & CM No.15194/2011
LA.APP.349/2011 & CM No.15182/2011, LA.APP. 373/2011
LA.APP. 374/2011, LA.APP. 382/2011, LA.APP. 399/2011, LA.APP. 410/2011, LA.APP. 4
(Relatmg to Notification u Award No. 18/2000-2001, Vi
CORAM: .
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PRADEEP NANDRAJOG
ORDER

1. Whether the Reporters of to see the judgment? CM IMo.12871/2011, LAiAPP. LA.APP. LA.APP. 201/2011, LA.APP- LA.APP. 240/2011, LAiAPP. LA.APP. 243/2011, LAIAPP. 376/2011, LA.APP. 380/2011 393/2011, LA.APP. 398/2011 400/2011, LA.APP. 408/2011 14/2011. 'See; 4 dated 30:07.1998 & lage- Bhaiswa Jahangir.Puri) local papers may be allowed

2. To be referred to Reporter or hot?,

3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? PRADEEP NANDRAIOG. I. !•,

1. I proceed with an apology to the reader by referring,to a, notification issued later in. 3oint of time,.- and then, to a notification issued prior in poirt of time; but the reason is that • thelearned counsel for the arguments with respect to the land owners had addressed: notification issued later and! had required price to be..|U^ reduced pertaining to;the notlfication which was issued e. 2. Land measuring 758-01 arlier in point of time. \ ! bigha situated in the revenue estate of village Bhaiswa Jahangir Puri was acquired pursuant LA.App.No.999/2010 &connected matters Page2W,22 i iflll iiili' to a notification dated 15.09 2000 issued under Section 4 of t^^e Land Acquisition Act 1894, for a public purpose, namely, 'Rehabilitation ofJJ Cluster', Tjhis was followed by adeclaration under Section 6,of the said Act issued on 17.04.2001. After following the due process, announced his award bearing whereby he assessed the fai land at ^2,87,9.16.66 per bigh lakhs per acre i.e. fair market at?13.82 lakhs per acre.

3. Dissatisfied, with the a Acquisition Collector, the land the Land Acquisition Collector No.6/2002-03 dated 20.04.2002, r market value of the acquired a, which is equivalent to ^3.82 i/alue as of 15.09.2000 was fixed the learned Land Acquisition 5sessment made by the Land owners sought reference under Section 18 of the said Act. The Learned Reference.Court, in the lead matter, being LAC No.ll2A/2008 titled Raj Sinah Vs. Union of India, assessed the fair market value of the acquired land at ?3,03,534 per bigha or ?14,56,963 per acre.

4. It needs to be highlighted that both i.e. the learned Land Acquisition Collector as well cs the Learned Reference Court, while assessing the fair market value of the acquired land, adopted the minimum price f6r agricultural land fixed by the Government as on 01.04.20C0, notified vide: Circular dated 11.09.2011. Different destina:ions were reached inasmuch as Collector, while assessing the compensation, did not grant cippreciation for the period from 01.04.2000 till the date notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act was issued on 15.09.2000, but the.learned Reference Court granted appreciation for the said period of 165 days @ 12% per annum with reference to the base date 1.4.2000 and the pri:e ?13,82 lakhs per acre; LA.App.No!999/2010 & connected maters Pages of22 "n

5. Another parcel of land ad-rneasuring. 929-05 bigha, situated in the same reveiiue estate"^ of village Bhalswa ursuant to a notification issued d Acquisition Act 1894, dated Jahangir Puri was acquired p under Section 4 of the Lar 30.07.1998, for the same public purpose i.e. 'Rehabilitation of JJ Cluster'. This was followed of the Act issued on 04.08. process, the Land Acquisitior by a declaration under Section 6

1998. After following the due Collector announced an award bearing No.18/2000-01 dated 12.03.2001, whereby he assessed the fair market ?2,33,333 per.bigha which is acre.

6. Dissatisfied with the assessment made by the Land Acquisition Collector, the land owners sought reference under Section 18 of the Act. The [.earned Reference Court, in the lead matter being LAC No.inA/2008 titled Chandrawatt l/^r. Union ofIndia, assessed the fair market value of the acquired land at m,46,670/- per, acre.. The difference iin the the same reason as noted destination reached is on hereinabove pertaining to the the learned Land Acquisition notified by the Government circular dated 25.7.1997 and alue of the acquired land at equivalent to ^11.20 lakhs per notification dated 15.9.2000 i.e. Collector adopting the land rate with effect from 1.4.1997 vide ignoring that the notification in question was issued on 30.7.1998 and the learned Reference Court granting enhancement @ 11% per annum for,the interregnum period.

7. The Union of India as well as the land owners have ade by the Learned Reference challenged the assessment m LA.App.No.999/2010 &connected mat:ers Page 4 of22 •-O. « Court by way of the appeals above.

8. On behalf of the land owners, justifying higher compensation, reliance Wc s placed on the following documentary evidence:- (a) The rate notified b/ the L&DO vide notification nibit PW-4/1), whereby it charge unearned increase in "esidentia! and commercial L&DO. Relying on this document, it was argued that in the year 1999, the rate of residential land in Azadpur, which, is stated to be close to village Bhalaswa Jahangir Puri, was fixed at.?5830/- per square meter or ^2,35,92,400.92 per acre and it was urgec that if 50% is deducted towards development cost, the land owners should -be entitled to enhahceid compensation in sum of ?1,17,96,200/-per acre. dated 16.04.1999 (Ex disclosed its intention to respect of developed properties owned by (b) The rate charged by MCD for allotment of commercial plot in Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar, in terms of the Resolution and cross objections mentioned No.705 dated 23.11-.1987 (Exhibit PW-3/1), whereby. MCD decided to allot developed plots to the square meter and Exhi Resolution No.610 dated decided to allot the plots Nagar @ ?4,500/- per sqi transporters @ ?425/- per 3it PW-3/2, a c6py of the 21.02.2005, whereby MCD in Sanjay Gandhi Transport are metre were urged to be material and good evicience. Relying on these LA.App.No.999/2010 & connectedmaters Page 5 of22 documents, learned counsel for the land owners argued that the rate stated in the resolutions afprenoted, which was Applicable for the: year 1976, • market value of developed 7/vper acre and it was urged on is made on account of the r undeveloped lands, fair market value would come to ?=8,59,928/- per acre in the year 1976 and increasing the same by 12% per •annum, the fair market value as of 15.9.2000 would be ?24,76,592/- per acre

(c) Learned counsel placed reliance on the would evidence that fai land comes to ^7,19,85 that even if 50% deducti development costs, fo 1998-99 (Exhibits PW-8/; on the brochure of DDA it was argued that as pe were held qua flats hav for the land owners also auction record of plots in Flbhini Residential Scheme in the year 1997-98 and and PW-8/3). While relying pertaining to the year 2006, "the advertisement auctions ng plinth area of 69 square metre to 71 square metre in Jahangir Puri at a price ranging between ^23.7:; according to. learned coi lakh to ^28.[4] lakh, which nsel translates to a price of ^"14,36,36,363 per acre and counsel urged, that Id be effected therefrom d agricultural land,

(d) Relying on a saledeed of village Khera Khurd

(Exhibit PW-15/1), where under land measuring 2-19 2,40,300/- on 25.04.2001, at the price per acre comes 6,169/- per bigha. It was suitable deduction col pertaining to undevelope bigha was sold (g) learned counsel urged th to ?56,93,163/- or LA.App.No.999/2010 & connected mat:ers Page 6 of22 € „ \\ contended that this sale deed should be relied upon, after making a reas development cost to det of undeveloped agricult Jahangir Puri. Another. onable deduction towards ermine the fair market value ural land in village Bhaiswa sale deed dated 24.03.2000 (Exhibit PW-15/2), whereby land measuring 4-16 bigha situated in the revenue estate of village Mamurpur was sold to Radha Swami Satsang Vyas at a price of ^26,75,000/- p^r acre was also relied upon.' (e) Learned counsel for the land owners also relied upon an Agreement to S executed by one Shri society 'M/s.Butterfly', w be sold on 05.08.1996;ell (Exhibit PW-6/1) which was Khushi Ram in favour of a 'hereund.er land was agreed to ^18 lakhs per acre. It was urged that the land wias in the revenue estate of village Bhaiswa Jahangir Puri and thus was pressed in aid as good evidence of fair market value of land in the said village as ofthe date ofthe agreement to sell i.e. 5.8.1996.

9. Per contra, Sh.Sanjay. appearing on behalf of Union dated 05.06.1996 (Exhibit R-2 in village Bhaiswa Jahangir ^oddar learned senior counsel of India relied on a Sale Deed, whereunder 1-03 bigha of land Puri was sold at a price, of 40,000 and urged that even if 12% appreciation per annum is to be given on said value, notification under Section;.;4 co thus it was argued that since in the same village, it would adjoining village or to adopt LA.App.No.999/2010 & connected mat the price as on the date of the mes to ?1,94,782 per bigha, and price of similar land is available be imprudent to travel to the he price of developed land for ers Page 7 of22 fixing the mari<et value of having a vast area. Learne learned Land Acquisition C marl<et value of the land at a reflected in Exhibit R-2 and Court.

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10. it may be noted that wh above captiOned matters on been reserved for judgment appeals, lead matter being LA undeveloped agricultural land d counsel also argued that the Dllector has assessed the fair price much higher than the one so has the learned Reference submitted that in response counsel for the land owners 1/5 Union ofIndiR in which he h area while proving the Aks 5L Jahangir Puri. His testimony v and Libaspur are situated, in en judgment was reserved in the 19^^ August, '2011, decision had in a batch of land acquisition App,No.266/2008 titled laiS/noh l/s. UOL&Anr. in which similar arguments as were advanced with respect to similar evidence relied upon in the instant appeals and learned senior counsel Sh.Sanjay Poddar to the arguments of learned the arguments which he had advanced on the earlier oczasion may be treated as his response.

11. The topography of village Bhalswa Jahangir Puri has come-out in the deposition of Shri Trilok Chand {Halqa Patwan) who appeared as PW-2 in LAC No.ll2A/2008 titled Rai Sinoh as explained the topology of the ra Ex.PW-2/1 of village Bhalswa rould reveal that village Kadipur the North, villages Mukhmelpur and Burari are situated in the East, villages Samaipur Badii and Haiderpur are situated in the 'AVi Sarai Pipalthala are situated Puri. West and villages Bharola and • n the South of. village Jahangir LA.App.No.999/2010 & connected mat:ers Page 8 of22 12., I may additionally notfe that the lay out plan, of the National Capital Territory | of Delhi, published by the Government of NCT Delhi would reveal that village Bhalswa Jahangir Purr is situated on th ^ eastern side of GT.Karnal Road i.e. National Highway No.1. Villages Badii, Samaipur, Libaspur, Khera Kalan, Alipur, MamoorDur (Narela) are on the western side of National Highway No.1. '

13. It needs to be highlighted that whatever development took place in the revenue es[1]:ate of village Jahangir Purl, post acquisition of agricultural lands in the revenue estate of said of slum and J.J. dwellers i.e. the the area was of a kind where to; urbanization was of a weak village was for re-settlement character of urbanization in •potential price increased due nature. In the decision reported as Amar Sinoh l/s. Union nf india 1998 (V) AD (Delhi) 4<?i, resettlement colony called Jah it was noted that there existed a angir Puri in the area which had sprung up during the period cf emergency i.e. the year 1975-

76. It has to be remembered that the two subject acquisitions were also for re-settlement of.slum and J.J.Clusters.

14. The decision in LA.App.^ Anr. which was reserved on 0.266/2008 jai Sinati l/s. UO! 12.8.2011 and had yet to be pronounced on 19.8.2011, when instant appeals were reserved for judgment, has since been f)ronounced by me on 23.8.2011 arid I. would highlight that v\ hile assessing the fair market value of the land situated in 10 revenue estates in the same revenue district i.e. Norti:i:-We[5] villages Pooth Khurd, Shahpu Rajapur Kalan,. Holambi Kalar and Bawana, I had noted t t Delhi being revenue estate of Garhi, Sanoth, Alipur, Narela,, Khera Khurd, Holambi Khurd lat the topology of the area LA.App.No.999/2010 & connected matters Page 9 of22 f) •constituted a 'V at the point.Road i.e. NH-1 and Rohtal< common point,, proceeding iviandi. It needs to be highligl Puri is outside the 'V aforesc of intersection where G.T.Karnal Road i.e. NH-10 bifurcated at a in different directions, at Sabzi hted that village Bhaiswa Jahangir id and as explained hereihabove and abuts towards the east of NH-1. i

15. In the. appeals relating to the said 10 villages where land llfferent notifications issued from were acquired pursuant to:d time to time I had dealt with notifications issued in the year 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. In those cases, learned counsel for the land owners had relied upon the sale deed dated 25.04.2001 (Exhibit PW-15/1) and the sale deed dated 24.03.2000 (Exhibit PW-15/2) i.e. the same sale deeds on, which learned counsel for reliance upon as noted in sut the land owners have placed -para (d) of para 8 hereinabove. In the said judgment dated 23.8.2011,, I have discarded these two sale deeds for the reaso 23 which are reproduced here

21. The first argument deeds, Ex.PW-1/3 which sale deed Ex.PW-1/2 wh is recorded in paragraphs 21 to jnder:is predicated on the 2 sale s dated 25.3.2000, and the ch is dated 25.4.2001. As per the former, fair market value for the former comes to ?26.75 lakhs ^63.478 lakhs per acre Court has rejected the per acre and the latter The learned Reference 2 sale deeds as reliable evidence to determine fair market value of agricultural lands, for all the reasoning that the purchased by a religip 'Radha Swami Satsang' had tendered the sale the villages in question on sale deed Ex.PW-1/3 was js trust by the name of and Suraj Bhan PW-6 who,. ^ deed in evidence, while deposing in Court in LAC No.68/2005 had stated that to his knowledge the land was purchased for religious purpose and was being used for a religious purpose. The sale deed Ex.PW-1/2 has likewise,LA.App.No.999/2010 & connected matters Page 10 of22 m ID # been held not to be reli fair market value of able evidence to determine agricultural lands on the reasoning it was purchased by a Non Government Organization "Christian the testimony of PW-7 S Organization" and as per ister Annie, the secretary of pay the price for. the sal only plot of the requ the organization stated that the organization had to i piece of land as it was the site size suitable for the requirement,of the organization and is being used for destitute women i.e. there was a special circumstance, personal to the vendee.

22. As held in the decisions reported as 1995 {!) see, 717 Land Acouisiti Isti Rohini & Ann (Refer on Officer Eluru & Ors. 1/? para 6) and 2009 (14) see 369 i\^ohd. Raufuddin /pind Acquisition Offlrpr (Refer para 13) sale transactions evidenced in a said, deed which are tendered in evidence by virtue of Section 51A of the LjA.Act 1894 have not to be ipso facto treated as an exemplar sale deed to ri r-rv-* I -I-IA ^ i... determine the market v the reason there may which have led the buye ^alue of land in an area for be special circumstances ^, to pay a higher price. The true test is the price wl^ich a well informed willing buyer would pay to an equally well informed seller without being influenced by any special cii cunistances orthe fancy to buy a particular piece Or »«• i-v-\ t i t of land. An. informed bL studied the market and yer would be one who has. - has apprised himself of all available land in the area; has understood the topology of the area and the prevailing prices. If a buyer has a fancy for a particular piece of land, he may pay a much higher price and this would not be a nn\r\fA t... -.. a gopd index of fair mark area. I would be failing i Union of India had relied 20.5.2002, which was et value of the lands in the '1 do not highlight that the upon the sale deed dated J " --"r.pccepted by the learned o? n pertaining to the notification dated 2/.1.2003 where-und^er agricultural land in village Rajapur Kalan,was sold by. an agriculturist to an agriculturist for a much.kisser price i.e. ^17,74,109/the price which comes to p[3].478 lakhs per acre for Ex.PW-1/2 and U[8] 89 lakhs per acre.for Ex.PW-1/3. The 2 sale deeds LA.App.No.999/2010 &connected matters Ex.PW-1/2 and Ex.PW-1/3, themselves are having intrinsic evidence of the fanciful price and ex-facie destroy each other.

23. Thus, apart from t ie reasoning of the learned Reference Court, with \(vhich I concur, afore-noted reasons in para 21 a reasons to hold that advisably not be gooc bove would be additional the 2 sale deeds would _ ^— evidence wherefrom fair market value of subject lands can be determined and more so for the reason I find that under various awards nearly between 7,000 to 8,000 bigha of land; have been acquired and when the acquisition is of c^i ft f I,. such large -an area, it v reason to be circumsp intrinsic evidence of the would make all the more a )ect on sale deeds having - transaction being the result of a fancy of the buyer. I would be failing not to note an unreported decision cited by learned counsel Sh.l.S.Dahiya iDeing the decision dated 19.12.2008 disposing of a batch of appeals, lead matter being LA.App.^ [sincB. c/gcqbsoc/) thru LRs Vs, UOl & Ors. It was 0.193/2006 Pratao Sinnh highlighted that the sale had purchased 8 bigha ^ deed therein by which L&T and 9 biswa of agricultural land for expansion of iis factory which had been ignored by the learned Reference Court on the ground that L&T had a fancy for the said land and hence the price reflected therein could not be treated as a good evide area, was rejected by t question, with suitable d Tce.of value of land in the Te Court and the price in Bduction on account of the Court and thus even in t deeds in question i.e. should be treated as t\r parcel of land being large, was accepted by the ie instant cases the 2 sale Ex.PW-1/2 and Ex.PW-1/3 e basis to determine fair market value. The argument ignores the reasoning in the decision of the Division Bench in paras 37 to ^ D 1 ft A t-y-v » •... ' 38' wherein the Division value in the sale de^'d on Bench, did not accept the ' its own logic as indicative therein was reduced by would be the same as wo reference.to the averag of, the market value, but found that if the price 1/3''^ the price arrived at Jld be price arrived at with e rate of the sale deeds produced by the Union of India i.e. the sale deeds LA.App.No.999/2010 &connectedmatte^-s ' Page12 of22 produced by the Govern ?1,3.7,000/- per bigha which L&T had purchas ?3,26,600/- per bigha ar ment were giving a price of and the sale deed under Bd the land gave the price d the average would come to ^2,31,800/- which was near about the price of f l/S""^ would be deducted,600/-. It may further be said judgment the year of id the notification under Acquisition Act was dated 24.7.1995 and 16.1:L.1995 and the Court determined fair marl<et value as of the said dates at the same sum arrived at as aforesaid i.e. ^2,15,160/-. In other words, the reasoning of the Division Bench is not to be read pedantically but meaningfully. It is not that the Court treated the sale deed in question as the basis for if it was so, the appreciation for 2 years had required to be given. I would highlight once again, that I have hereinbefore already noted the inherent ^2,15,1.60/- per bigha, from the sum of ?3,26 highlighted that in the the sale was 1993 a Section 4. of the Land contradiction in the valu the 2 sale deeds and th destructive evidence of fair market value."

16. For,the reasons therein, e of the land price as per s Itself is intrinsic mutually the 2 sale deeds reflecting reject these two sale deeds in the present case also as reliable and good evidence to determine fair market value of agricultural land in village. Bhalswa jahangir.Puri.

17. As regards the agreement to sell (Exhibit PW-6/1), the land situated in village Bhalswa jahangir Puri has been agreed to be transferred for a sum of ns lakhs per acre. The land owners have also relied upon another sale deed dated 01.07.2003 whereunder 4^6 bigha i.e. 1 acre land was sold at. ^5,70,000/-.

18. Now, if the price, as per the own showing of the land owners was ?15,70,000/- per acre as on 01.07.2003, it is LA.App.No.999/2010 8cconnectedmatters Page 13 of22 difficult to comprehend the Ex.PW-6/1 which is dated 8.[4] abnormally high value as per 1996 in which the stated price is ns lakhs per acre. It is indeed a.puzzle that in 1996 the price was ns lakhs per acre and 7 to ^15.[7] lakhs per acre. I ne years down the line the price fell ed to highlight that in paragraph 39 of its decision, the leiarned Reference Court, while examining Ex.PW-6/1 has dp special considerations and n informed willing buyer and ned that the said price was for Dt the price settled between an an, informed willing seller and. without being influenced by special needs pertaining to a particular land, and had thus discarded the said sale deed as not reliable evidence wherefrom fair market value of a large track of land had to be fixed.

19. I have discussed this issue in my decision dated 23.8.2011 in LA.App.No.266/2008 iai Sinoh !/?. um Anr i.e. where an abnormally high price for a parcel of land is with evidence, of neither the buyer nor the seller being wellinformed and there being a special feature qua the land and have held the same not to be market value of a large part paid by a buyer smitten with good evidence to determine fair of land, being the fanciful price fancy, which observations have already been extracted by mi[3] hereinabove i.e. paras 22 and 23 of the said decision; I reite

20. As regards. auction rat situated in the Sanjay Gandh -ate the same.: • es of developed plot of land Transport Nagar, I do not find any substance in the arg^uments of the learned counsel for the land owners and concur with the decision of the learned Reference Court contained in paragraphs 29 and 30 which are premised oh the decision of th BSupreme Court reported as La! LA.App.No.999/2010 &.connected mattji:srs Page 14 of.22. ChSnd Vs. Union ofIndia 20()9 (ISX SCC 769. Similar ii the reasoning pertaining to the e ofresidential plots orflats by ^idence relating to auction rates DDA. ^

21. In my decisiph dated- 2p.8.20^n l^^App.No.266/2008 lai Smqh Vs. UO! &Ork, | hcd extensiyely discussed the Jaw declared: by the:Supreme Court in LaLChinds case swith reference to price at which c different agencies i.e. DDA an and findings in para 29 to 31 are extracted hereunder:-

29. Now we do not have evidence as to what was the extent^of plotted larjd sold by DSIDC or DDA with bv nl^nr H Industrial Estate developed bv D^^inr.nH Residential Schenle developed 20% or 75%, we do not,know, has resulted in the same. by D3idc and Narela R by DDA. Whether it was The inchoate evidence eveloped plots were allotted by d DSIDG. Relevant observations )f the decision in:./aA5Zw^'s case fari-nrc o • "csuiLfcju ifi tne Same actors, being 3 in number which were noted by the Supreme Court in ^ t-ne Chand's case (supra), which. render this evidence as the value of land in.the subject cases. most unreliable to determine 30.: it is no doubt true, Reference Court, that Bawana Industrial Area and Narela ResidentiaT S acquired a building po would be what would building potentiality woul

31. Ihold that the learned Reference Court, keepinq m view the observation and the findings of the uprenie Court in La! ChancfF, (supra) has rightly rejected said evidengej^s reiiable. On the issue of ?^de 'of the: value, Ipromlsfth^ •. I as held even by the learned: with the development of: Rohini Residential Scheme' cheme, the. subject lands had tentiaHty, but the question be the value to which the d translate itself., 4rB

22. Highlighting that in La! Chancts case (supra) the Supreme Court held that such raw data was meaningless and was too. inchoate wherefrom fair marl<et value could be crystallized. • 23.. 1reiterate the reasoning to hold that price at which MCD allotted developed plots in Saijay Gandhi Transport Nagar and price at which DDA sold developed plots and flats would be irrelevant to determine fair market value of agricultural land.

24. Pertaining to price notified by L&DO for charging unearned increase when lease-hold property under L&DO is transferred by the perpetual Ipsee, suffice would it be to state that the same relates to developed plots and on the parity of reasoning in La! Chancfs case (supra) wherein this kind of evidence was specifically reference to village Rithala Rohini Residential Scheme, 1:liscussed and discarded with where lands were acquired for egate the plea for compensation to be enhanced with reference to L&DO rates noting that Iam concerned with large tracks of lands ad-measuring: 758.01 bigha and 929.05 bigha. 25, From the topology of th(5 area and as per the testimony of Trilok. Chand (Halka Patwar ) who appeared as PW-2.in LAC NO.112A/2008 it emerges tha: village Burari is on the east of village, Bhalswa Jahangir Puri would reveal that the two vil and indeed the plan for Delhi ages i.e. Bhalswa Jahangir Puri and Burari are-separated by the outer ring road as we travel towards Mubarka Chowk, from the. Tibetan Re-settlement colony adjoining the famous ourudwara Majriu Ka Tila. The two are adjoining villages separated by 'Outer Ring Road' and LA.App.No.999/2010 & connected matters Page 16 of22 thus the fair market value of two villages would be comparable.

26. While assessing the fair •in village Burari, which was a dated 24.07.1998 and 18.07 the Land Acquisition Act, I land on a particular date in the market value of the land situated cquired pursuant to notifications 2003 issued under Section 4 of lad considered the material on record i.e. the evidence in my decision pronounced on 7.6.2011 in a batch of. LA./.ppeals, lead matter being; LA. Appeal No.971/2008 titled Rsjbd! & Ors. Vs. Union of India & Ors, In the said decision, 1ha of agricultural land at ?11,60 d assessed the fair market value,580.82 per acre for Category A land, no,44,522.73 per acre for Category B land and ?9,28,464.65 per acre for Ca notification dated 24.7.1998. notification dated 18.07.200: tegory C land pertaining to the The land acquired pursuant to had been assessed by me at ?19,20,568/- per acre for Category Aland and ^7,28,512/- per acre for Category B land. In jai. Sinail's case {supra), I had assessed the fair market value. S.No. Village Name Dat und e of Notification er Section 4 Fair market value (in lakhs per acre)

1.

2. Pooth khurd Holamhi Kalan 7.8. onnn ^4.75 for Category 'A' ^4.3728 for Category 'B'

3. /I 1 IXCliCllI Bawana /.O. 7.8. ! •'.•J-f' •, • ^UUU ^4.75 ^14.75 for ^4.38125 for

4. • Khera Khurd 11.c M O O O - ^4.835 for.Category 'A' ?14.46413 for EA.App.No.999/2010 & connected m,atteji-s Page 17 of22 /'l!.5. Narela 2.5?.2001 j • fl[6].165, for ?15.76087 for

6. Holambi Kalan 22, 8.2001 n[6].745 for n[6].4381l' for

7. Alipur 22. 8.2001 ?16.745 for n[6].43811 for

8. Holambi Khurd 2,2.8.2001 i. ^ 16.745 for n[6].43811 for

9. Rajapur Kalan 22. 8.2001 n[6].745 for ^6.43811 for • 10. Sanoth 7.12.2001 ^ J n[7].295

11. Shahpur Garhi 16.5.2002 n[8].655 12.. Shahpur Garhi 23.5.2002 ^8.655

13. Holambi Kalan 23.5.2002 ^8.655

14. Alipur. 23.5.2002 ^8.655 -

15. Sanoth 27.11.2003 n[9].435 for n[8].94:912 for n[8].47539 for Category 'C.

16. Rajapur Kalan 27.:L.2003 n[9].435 for Category 'A! ?18.94912 for n[8].47539 for Category 'C

27. In Jai Singh's case (su minimum land rates enhancec to time and found the same pra) I had also. analyzed the by the Governnhent from time not to be the ipse dixit of the LA.App.No.999/2010 &cojmected matter; !| it Government officers and had found not only rationale but a reflection of urbanization impacting such increase. With reference to the decisions cif four Division Benches of this Court reported as 2006 IV AD Delhi 13 Gairai Sinoh Vs. UP! & Ml., 2004 IV AD Delhi 20 Ram Chander Vs. UOI. ill (2004)

95 Hukum Sinoh Vs. um 7,nc\ an unreported decision in LA.App.No.866/2005 •Mahender Sinoh Vs. UP! & Ors. decided on 11.5.2006 wherein based on sale deeds and other evidence land price was determined on,1993 to 1996 and in relation t Government Thad highlighte decision as under:various dates between the years 0 the minimum price fixed by the d in paras 50 to 53 of the said

"50. The aforesaid judgments noted in the preceding paragraphs as also the \/arious notifications issued from time to time by the Government of NCT Delhi notifying minimum price for agricultural lands in Delhi as tabulated by me in para 7 above bring out two very important facts relevant to determine, the growth/rise in the prices of agricultural land in Del ii over the years commencing from the year 1990. As of 27.4.1990 minimum price was ?4.65 lakhs per acre whi ch rose to ^10 lakhs per acre as of 1.4.1997 i.e. the incre ase is ?5.35 lakhs spread over 7 years which gives us a 115.054% increase in 7 years and , iwiiviio UVCI /

years which gives us a 115.054% increase in 7 years and l;hS average price increa rise over the next 1 yea 11% for the next 2 years as of 1.4.2001.. It sh between the year 199C se would be 16.436%. The price r is by 11.2% and thereafter by and 11.5% for the next year i.e. ows that due to urbanization, and 1997 prices grows fairly. _i, pi yivjvvD laiii.y Sharply and good corroborative evidence for this would be the decision of the' Gairats case (supra), wf above. -

51. I need to elaborate decision in Gairafs, ca: Division Bench of this Court in ich I have discussed in para 49 a little more with respect to the

30. Discussing the evidence pertaining to fair markeit value of agricultural land in village Holambi Kalan as of 15.11.1996, in paras 9 to 17 LA.App.No.999/2010 & connected matters the Court. discussed. t he valuation on the basis of agricultural yield and found that the gross return per acre per annum was ?95,00C/- for multiple cropped land and having good irrigation facilities and thus- capitalized the land price at ?9.[5] lakhs per acre. Discussing the second surrounding areas inci method of land prices of comparable lands in the uding potentiality, in para 19 onwards the Court discussed the. matter with reference to land prices in adjoinir Godowns had come up g village Bhorgarh where FCI and based on. sale instances found that based on the said sale instances and giving benefit of industrialization the land price would come to no,03,364/- per acre (Refer para 31). The Court then considered,the prices notified by the Government as per policy dated 1.4.1997 ijnd thus worked' out the mean average figure of ^9,76,121/- per acre for Category 'A' lands and ^9,51,121/- per acre for Category 'B' lands. The decision highlights welj-factored in when ijiinimum price notificati the fact that even with Court found that as aga as of 1.4.1997 at no lal< highlighting that the pric that the potentiality had been the Government issued the on w.e.f. 1.4.1997, evidenced by respect to sale transactions the inst the minimum price notified hs per acre, sale instances were a was ?10,03,364/-per acre., 52. The decision in Ma. to village Bawana, refer highlights with reference that the Master Plan for account by the Court w 'hender Sinah's, case, pertaining •ed to by me in para 49 above, to para 28 to 31 of the decision Delhi 1990 had been taken into hich was projecting residential. agricultural land in Delhi had noted that notwit projecting and the la commercial and industrial future exploitation of and on the issue of potentiality:hstanding the Master Plan so..,, ipcls, theoretically acquiring a potentiality, the same had not translated into a reality evidenced by the fact that till the year 1996 i.e. the date of the notification with which the Division Bench was concerned, virtually no,development had taken place in village Bawana and^ Holambi Kalan and nobody had exploited the potential. As I have already highlighted in para 49 above there is a gap between what would be expected to be the market growth.and what the. market actually grows. The c ecisions in Gairaj's caise and LA.App.No;999/20r0 & connected matters Page 20 of22 r Mahender Singh's • case highlight that potentiality translated itself into a reality between 1990. and 1997 when prices rose by about 16.5% per annum and thereafter the extended potentiality did not translate with the requisite momdntum and the acceleration fell to between 10% per annum to 11% per annum. One reason could be that pursuant fairly large area came, t to Master Plan for Delhi 199Q a:o be developed, both residential, commercial and indus|trial and probably there was enough availability of developed land and the hunger of the market got saturated.

53. The empirical evic ence in the instant case, apart from the 2 sale deeds reilied upon by the land owners, in respect whereof the learned Reference Court has given good reasons not to reiy upon and for which I have given further reasons in paras 21 and 22 hereinabove for not relying upon, being fancjiful sale deeds, to determine fair market value, we have with us the sale deed relied upon by,the learned Land IAcquisition Collector pursuant whereto in some referet|ces in village Rajapur Kalan the learned Reference Court has held that as per the said sale deed Ex.R-2 as of the date of the sale i.e. 20.5.2002 the. fair market value of agricultural lands would be n[9],16,040/- per acre as of 27.1.2003 on the reasoning that 1 bigha. and 13 biswa of land which was sold for ^5,39,690/- and ^70,160/- was paid as stamp duty would mean that ^6,09,850/spent would yield the p the date of the sale i.e. 2 (^5,39,690/- + ^70,160/-) were ice ^17,74,109/- per acre as of 0.5.2002. 28, In the absence of any cogent evidence placed on record by either parties other than the minimum price notified by the Government from time to time,. I hold that the Learned Refeience Court has rightly aclopted the correct principle and has relied upon the correct evidence and has given the correct appreciations by suitably increjasing the price to make up the interregnum period between the dates when minimum prices were notified and the date cf the notification issued under LA.App.No.999/2010 & connected matters Page 21 of22 fii,! ir ! • • Section 4 of tine Land Acquis further enhance the compe dismiss all appeals and cross land owners or the Union of I

29. 1leave the parties to bea SEPTEMBER 19, 2011 mm ry ition Act and finding no scope to ihsation or to reduce the same I objections, whether filed by the ndia. r their own cost.': I'..rv<i.s=i.j^s_c

(PRADEEP NAIMDRAJOG) JUDGE LA.App.No.999/2010 & connected matte::rs Page 22 of22