Union of India v. Daya Nand Decd Thru Lrs & Ors

Delhi High Court · 19 Sep 2011 · 2011:DHC:19092
Pradeep Nandrajog
LA.APP. 386/2011
2011:DHC:19092
property appeal_dismissed Significant

AI Summary

The Delhi High Court upheld the Reference Court's compensation assessment for agricultural land acquisition, affirming reliance on government-notified minimum land rates and rejecting inflated sale deeds and developed land prices as bases for valuation.

Full Text
Translation output
$-69 HIGH COURT OF DELHI
LA.APP. 386/2011
UNION OF INDIA Appellant
Through: Mr.Sanjay Poddar, Senior Advocate with Mr.Sanjay
Pathak, Advocate for UOI.
VERSUS
DAYA NAND DECD THRU LRS & ORS Respondents
Through: None.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE PRADEEP NANDRAJOG
19.09.2011 For orders, see LA.App.No.999/2010.
PRADEEP NANDRAJOG. J.
SEPTEMBER 19, 2011 mm 2011:DHC:19092 HIGH COURT OF DELHI ludament Reservpd On: IQ^'' Annt/cf- 2011 ludament De" ^ ivered On: 19'^'^ Sf^ptemhfr. ?mi
LA.APP. 999/2010 &
CM No.6549/2011 (Cross-Objection)
RAJ SINGH
Tu u ••• Appellant
Through; Mr.B.S.Mann, Advocate Mr.Deepak Khosla, Advocate and
Mr.i\I.S.I\legi, Advocate.
Vs.
UOI & ANOTHER Respondents
Through: Mr.Sanjay Poddar, Senior Advocate & Mr.Sa
Nawani, Kaomud njay Kumar Pathak, Mr.Sachin Mr.Siddharth Panda and Ms.K
Kiran, Advocates for R-1 AND
LA.APP. 961/2010, .
No.12885/2011, LA.APP. 100
LA.APP. 1001/2010 & CM
7/2010 & CM No.15181/2011;
1009/2010, LA.APP. 1010/2010 LA APP ^ No.12865/2011, LA.APP. 5/2011, LA.APP
6/2011 & CM No.6756/2011, LA.APP. 38/2011 & CM
41/2011, LA.APP. 89/2011 LA APP 142/2011, LA.APP. 160/2011, LA.APP 161/^011 LA APP
246/2011,' LA.APP. 2^11 LA.APP 394/2m 387/2011,' LA.APP.'
407/2Su .^y7/20l1, LA.APP. 406/2011, LA.APP.
(Relating to Notification u/S.
Award No, 06/2002-2003, Villa AK D LA.App.No.999/2010 &connected matters ec. 4 dated 15.09.2000 & ge-Bhaiswa Jahangir Puri)
Page 1 of22 jfrnh>
LA.APP. 57/2011 &
88/2011 LA.APP. 130/2011 164/2011, LA.APP. 200/201
202/2011, LA.APP. 216/201 241/2011, LA.APP. 242/201
244/2011, LA.APP. 245
LA.APP. 374/2011, LA.APP. 382/2011, LA.APP. 399/2011, LA.APP. 410/2011, LA.APP. 4
(Relating to Notification u Award No. 18/2000-2001, Vi
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PRADEEP NANDRAJOG CM No.12871/2011, LA.APP.
LA.APP. 132/2011, LA.APP.
1, LA.APP. 201/2011, LA.APP.
1, LA.APP. 240/2011, LA.APP.
1, LA.APP. 243/2011, LA.APP.
/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, 376/2011, LA.APP. 380/2011, 393/2011, LA.APP. 398/2011, 400/2011, LA.APP. 408/2011, 14/2011.
'Sec. 4 dated 30.07.1998 & lage- Bhalswa Jahangir Puri)
ORDER

1. Wtiether the Reporters of to see the judgment? local papers may be allowed

2. To be referred to Reporter or not?

3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? PRADEEP NANDRAIOG. L

1. I proceed with an apolog notification issued later in notification issued prior in poir the learned counsel for the arguments with respect to the / to the reader by referring to a 3oint of time and then to a it of time; but the reason is that land owners had addressed notification issued later and had required price to be suitably reduced pertaining to the notification which was issued earlier in point of time.

2. Land measuring 758-01 bigha situated in the revenue estate of village Bhalswa Jahafigir Puri was acquired pursuant LA.App.No.999/2010 & connected matters Page 2 of22 to a notification dated 15.09!2000 issued under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act 1894, for a public purpose, namely, 'Rehabilitation ofJJ Cluster'. This was followed by a declaration 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 fail land at ^2,87,916.66 per bighc lakhs per acre i.e. fair market, at ?13.82 lakhs per acre.

3. Dissatisfied with the assessment made by the Land Acquisition Collector, 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 l/s. 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 ds the Learned Reference Court, while assessing the fair market value of the acquired land, adopted the minimum price for agricultural land fixed by the Government as on 01.04.20C the Land Acquisition Collector No.6/2002-03 dated 20.04.2002, r market value of the acquired a, which is equivalent to ^13.82 ^alue as of 15.09.2000 was fixed 0, notified vide Circular dated 11.09.2011. Different destina iions were reached inasmuch as the learned Land Acquisition Collector, while assessing the compensation, did not grant appreciation 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 Jearned 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 ce ?13.82 lakhs per acre.' LA.App.No.999/2010 & connectedmatters

5. Another parcel of land ad-measuring 929-05 bigha, situated in the same revenue estate of village Bhalswa Jahangir Puri was acquired [ijursuant to a notification issued I under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act 1894, dated 30.07.1998, for the same public purpose i.e. 'Rehabilitation of by a declaration under Section 6

1998. After following the due Collector announced an award J Cluster'. This was followed of the Act issued on 04.08.: process, the Land Acquisitior bearing No,18/2000-01 dated 12.03.2001, whereby he alue of the acquired land at equivalent to ?il.20 lakhs per 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 Chandrawati 1/?. Union ofIndia, assessed the fair market value of the acquired land at m,46,670/- per acre. The difference Mn the destination reached is on hereinabove pertaining to the the learned Land Acquisition notified by the Government circular dated 25.7.1997 and the. same reason as noted notification dated 15.9.2000 i.e. lollector 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 challenged the assessment m i/vell as the land owners have ade by the Learned Reference LA.App.No.999/2010 & connected mat:ers Page 4 of22 Court by way of the appeals above.

8. On behalf of the land owners, justifying higher s placed on the following and cross objections mentioned compensation, reliance documentary evidence:- (a) The rate, notified b. dated 16.04.1999 (Ex disclosed its intention to respect of developed properties owned by WE y the L&DO vide notification hibit PW-4/1), whereby it charge unearned increase in "esidential 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 Bhala|swa Jahangir Purl, was fixed eter or ^2,35,92,400.92 per that if 50% is deducted towards development cost, the land owners should..be entitled to enhanced compensation in sum of ^1,17,96,200/- per acre. (b) The rate charged by MCD for allotment of at,?5830/- per square m acre and it was urged commercial plot in Sanja terms of the Resolutior ' Gandhi Transport IMagar, in 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 @ ?4,50.0/- per sqi transporters @ ?425/- per Dit PW-3/2, a copy of the 21.02.2005, whereby MCD in Sanjay Gandhi Transport are metre were urged to be material and good evidence. Relying on these LA.App.No,999/2010 & connected matters p documents, learned co argued that the rate Dunsei for the land owners stated in the resolutions aforenoted, which was applicable for the year 1976, would evidence that fair market value of developed land comes to ?17,19,857/- per acre and it was urged that even if 50% deduction is made on account of the development costs, for undeveloped lands, fair: market value would conhe to ^8,59,928/- per acre in the year 1976 and incre:asing 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 for the land owners also ! placed reliance on the auction record of plots in Rohini Residential Scherpe in the year 1997-98 and 1998-99 (Exhibits PW-8/2 and PW-8/3). While relying on the brochure of DDA it was argued that as pe were held qua flats hav metre to 71 square met ranging between X23J[1] according to. learned col pertaining to the; year 2006, " the advertisement auctions ng plinth area of 69 square -e in Jahangir Puri at a price lakh to ^28.[4] lakh, which nsel translates to a price of ^14,36,36,363. per acre and counsel urged, that suitable deduction cou pertaining to undevelope bigha was sold @ ^3 learned counsel urged th Id be effected therefrom d agricultural land,

(d) Relying on a sale deed of village Khera Khurd

(Exhibit PW-15/1), whereunder land measuring 2-19 2,40,300/- on 25.04.2001, at the price per acre comes to ^56,93,163/- or ?11,£6,169/- per bigha. It was LA.App.No.999/2010 8c connected mat;ers nr>, 9. contended that this sale after making a reas deed should be relied upon, enable deduction towards development cost to determine the fair market value. I of undeveloped agricuit Jahangir Purl. Another- (Exhibit P\/V-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/- per acre was also relied upon, (e) Learned.counsel fcir the land owners also relied ell (Exhibit PW-6/1) which was Khushi Ram in favour of a hereunder land was agreed to be, sold on 05.08.1996 @ ?18 lakhs per acre. It was urged that the land was in the revenue estate of village Bhalswa Jahangir Puri and thus was pressed in aid as good evidence of fair market value of land in date of the agreement to sell ural land in village Bhalswa sale deed dated 24.03.2000 upon an Agreement to S executed by one Shri society 'M/s.Butterfly', w I the said village as of the i.e. 5.8.1996. Per contra, Sh.Sanjay. appearing on behalf of Union dated 05.06.1996 (Exhibit R-2; in village Bhalswa Jahangir ?1,40,000 and urged that ever is to be given-on said value. ^oddar learned senior counsel of India relied on a Sale Deed, whereunder 1-03 bigha, of land Puri was sold at a price of 1if 12% appreciation per annum the price as on the date of the notification under Section 4comes to 94,782, per bigha, and thus it was argued that since price of similar land is available in the same village, it would be imprudent to travel to the adjoining village or to adopt the price of developed land for LA.App.NG.999/2010 &connectedmatters Page 7of22 fixing the marl<et value of having a vast area. Learne learned Land Acquisition C market value of the land at a reflected in Exhibit R-2 and Court. 10.. It may. be noted that wh^n judghnent was reserved in the 19^*^ August, 201-1, decision had above captioned matters on been reserved for judgment appeals, lead matter being LA submitted that in response counsel for the land owners

11. The topography of vilic 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 in a batch of land acquisition.App.No.266/2008 titled iaiSinoii i/5. UOi &Ann 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 occasion may be treated as his response. ge Bhalswa Jahangir Purl has come-out in the deposition of Shri Thlok Chand \Halqa Patwari) Who appeared as PW-2 in LAC No.ll2A/2008 titled Rai Sinoh l/s Union ofIndia in which hel" as explained the topology of the area while proving the Ai<s Sizra Ex.PW-2/1 of village Bhalswa Jahangir Puri. His testimony v and Libaspur are situated, in ^ould reveal that village Kadipur the North, villages Mukhmelpur and Burari are situated in the East, villages Samaipur Badii and Haiderpur are situated in the West and villages Bharola and Sarai Pipalthala are situated in the South of village Jahangir Puri. LA.App.No.999/2010 &comected matti:ers O •in 12.. I may additionalJy note that the lay out plan of the National Capital Territory | of Delhi, published by the Government of NCT Delhi wpuld reveal that village Bhalswa Jahangir Puri is situated on.th^ eastern side of G.T.Karnal Road i.e. National Highway No.l. Villages Badli, Samaipur, Libaspur, Khera Kalan, Alipur, MamoorDur (Narela) are on the western side of National Highway No.l. •

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13. It needs to be highlighted that whatever development:ate of village Jahangir Puri, post ds 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 took place in the revenue es acquisition of agricultural Ian 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) A81. resettlement colony called Jah it was noted that there existed a langir 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:;lum andJ.J.Clusters.

14. The decision in LA.App.^ Ann which was reserved on 0.266/2008 iai Sinah Vs. UOi 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 and I would highlight that while assessing the fair market value of the land situated in:.0 revenue estates in the same revenue district i.e. North-Wes villages Pooth Khurd, Shahpu Rajapur Kalan, Holambi Kalar and Bawana, 1 had noted t t Delhi being revenue estate of ^ Garhi, Sanoth, Alipur, Narela,, Khera Khurd, Holambi Khurd nat the topology of the area LA.App.No.999/2010 8c connected matters Page 9 of22 constituted a 'V at the pointi of intersection where G.T.Karnal Road i.e. NH-1 and Rohtal< common point,, proceeding Road i.e. NH-10 bifurcated at a in different directions, at Sabzi iviandi. It needs to be highlighted that village Bhalswa Jahangir Puri is outside the 'V aforesciid and as explained hereihabove and abuts towards the east of NH-1.

15. In the, appeals relating to the said 10 villages where land were acquired pursuant to different notifications issued from time to time I had dealt with notifications issued in the year In those cases, learned counsel 2000, 2.001, 2002 and 2003. 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 the land owners have placed reliance upon as noted in sutj-para (d) of para.[8] hereinabove. In the said judgment dated 23.8.2011, I have' discarded these two sale deeds for the reasons recorded in paragraphs 21 to 23 which are reproduced here

21. The first argument deeds, Ex.PW-1/3 which sale deed Ex.PW-1/2 wh unden ts 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 evidence to determine agricultural lands, for all the reasoning that the purchased by a religio 'Radha Swami Satsang' had tendered the sale per acre and the latter The learned Reference 2 sale deeds as reliable fair market value of 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 dedd Ex.PW-1/2 has iilcewise LA.App.No.999/2010 &connected matters Page 10 of22 been held not to be rel fair market value of able evidence to determine agricultural lands on the Organization "Christian the testimony of PW-7 S the organization stated reasoning it was purchased by a Non Government Organization" and as per ister Annie, the secretary of that the organization had to pay the price for, the saijj piece of land as it was the only.plot of the requjsite 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 (1) see.717 Land Acquisition Officer Eluru & Or!=;. 1/?. jstiRoiiini &Ann (RefeHj para 6) and 2009 (14) SCC 369 i^otid. Raufuddin ll^. Land Acquisition Qffirpr (Refer para 13) sale transactions evidenced in a sale, deed which are tendered in evidence by virtue of Section 51A of the L.A.Act 1894 have, not to be ipso facto treated as an exemplar sale deed to determine the market v the reason there may which have led the buye alue of land in an area for be special circumstances. --.-r to pay a higher price. The true test is the price which a well informed willing buyer would pay to an equally well informed seller without being influenced by any special circunistances or the fancy to buy a particular piece of land. An informed bi studied the market and available land in the topology of the area anc buyer has a fancy for a area. 1would be failing i Union of India had relied 20.5.2002, which was yer would be one who has has apprised himself of all area; has understood the the prevailing prices. If a _ - - ^ particular piece of land, he may pay a much higher price and this would not be a good index of fair market value of the lands in the do not highlight that the upon the sale deed dated,accepted by the learned RQfcirQi->,-^ A.,..[1] Lilt; ledmeu onn? pertainirpg to the notification dated 27 1.2003 where-under agricultural land in village Rajapur Kalan.was sold ^ agriculturist for a much,!e per, acre as -against th ^63.478 lakhs per acre, lakhs per acre for Ex.PV by.an agriculturist to an sser price i.e. ^17,74,109/price which comes to ror Ex.PW-1/2 and ?28.89 V-1/3. The 2 sale deeds & (•Ill 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 Reference Court, with \ reasons in para 21 a reasons to, hold that advisably not be gooc market value of subjec le reasoning of the learned vhich I concur, afore-noted bove would be additional the 2 sale deeds would evidence wherefrom fair:t lands can be determined and more so for the reason 1find that under various awards nearly between 7,000 to 8,000 bigha of land have been acquired and when the acquisition is of such large an area, it would make all the more a reason to. be circumsp intrinsic evidence of the 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 being the decision dated 19.12.2008 disposing of a batch of appeals, lead ma-f-f.Qr KQlr^^ I A A r _ n ^ ^ ^ ^. matter being LA.App.N fs/nce. deceased) thru i 0.193/2006 PraiaD Sinoh Rs Vs. UO! Sc Ors. It was highlighted that the sale deed, therein by which L&T had purchased 8 bigha pnd 9 biswa of agricultural land for expansion of its 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 evidence of value of land in the area was rejected by. the Court and the price in question, with- suitable dpduction on account of the parcel of land being ia^ge, was accepted by the Court and thus even in the Instant cases the 2 sale deeds in question i.e. should be treated as th Ex.PW-1/2 and Ex.PW-1/3 e basis to determine fair /hi argument ignores the reasoning in tile decision of tlie Division Bench in paras 37 to 38 wherein the Division Bench, did not accept the of V? indicative Of the market value, bi" ' therein was reduced by would be the same as wo It found that if the price 1/3'"^ the price arrived at uld be price arrived at with di I ivyu dL wmn reference to the average rate of the sale deeds produced by the Union of India i.e. the sale deeds LA.App.No.999/2010 &connected mattels Page 12 of22 •1:1,an % produced by the Govern ?1,3.7,000/- per bigha which L&T had purchas iment were giving a price of and the sale deed under;2d the land gave the price ^3,26,600/- per bigha and the average would come to ^2,31,800/- which was near about the price of f l/S"""" would be.deducted i,600/-. It may further be said judgment the year of nd the notification under Acquisition Act was dated 24.7.1995 and 16.11.1995 and the Court determined fair market 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 highliglit once again, that I have hereinbefore already I noted the inherent contradiction in the value of the land price as per the 2 sale deeds and thi; ' destructive evidence of fair market value." ?2,15,1,60/- per bigha, fronn the,sum of ?3,26 highlighted that in the the sale was 1993 a Section 4 of the Land

16. For.the reasons therein, I 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 Purl.

17. As regards the agreement to sell (Exhibit PW-6/1), the s itself is intrinsic mutually the 2 sale deed's reflecting land situated in village Bhalsw to be transferred for a sum o a jahangir Purl has been agreed f ns lakhs per acre. The land owners have also relied upon another sale deed dated 01.07.2003 whereunder 4-16 bigha i.e. 1 acre land was soid at ?15,70,000/-.

18. Now, if tlie price, as per the own showing of the iand owners was ^5,70,000/- per acre,as on 0l!07.2003, it is LA.App.No.999/2010 &comiected matters Page 13 of22 r difficult to comprelnend the Ex.PW-6/1 which is dated 8.4, abnormally high value as per 1996 in which the stated price is lakhs per acre. It is indeed a puzzle that in 1996 the price was ^18 lal<hs 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 • learned Reference Court, while examining Ex.PW-6/1 has dp special considerations and n informed willing buyer and without being influenced by particular land, and had thus

19. I have discussed this 23.8.2011 in LA.App.No.266/2 where an abnormally high p evidence, of neither the bu ned that the sai^ price was for 3t the price settled between an an informed willing seller and special needs pertaining to a discarded the said sale deed as not reliable evidence wherefrom fair market value of a large track of land had to be fixed. issue in my;decision dated 008 iai Sinah 1/5. UP! & Anr. i.e. ice for a parcel of land is with /er nor the seller being wellinformed and there being a special feature qua the land and have held the sarhe 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 me hereinabove i.e. paras 22 and 23 ofthe said decision. I reite^ate the same. es of developed plot of land Transport iXlagar, I do not find ts of the learned counsel for the

20. As regards. auction rat situated in the Sanjay Gandh any substance in the argumen land owners and concur with the decision of the learned •Reference Court contained in paragraphs 29 and 30 which are premised on the decision of th 2,Supreme Court reported as La! LA.App.No.999/2010 &connected mattexs Page 14 of22 (iirrii ![]) Chand ys. Union of India 2009 (15) SCC 769. Similar is the reasoning pertaining to the e of residential plots or flats by ividence relating to auction rates, DDA.

21. In my decision dated 23.8.2011 in LA.App.No.266/2008 jai Singh Vs. UOi & Ors.. I h£d extensively discussed the law declared by the Supreme Court in Lai Chands case, with eveloped plots were allotted by id DSIDC. Relevant observations and findings in para 29 to 31 of the decision in jaiSinoh's case are extracted hereunder:reference to price at which c different agencies i.e. DDA ar

29. Now, we do not hpe evidence as to what was the extent of plotted land sold by DSIDC'or DDA with reference to the Bawana Industrial Estate developed by DSIDC and Narela R by DDA. Whether it was The inchoate evidence factors, being 3 in num Supreme Court in Lai esidential Scheme developed 20% or 75%, we do not know, has resulted in the same Der which were noted by the Chand's case (supra), which render this evidence as the value of land in the s most unreliable to determine Jbject cases.

30. it is no doubt true, as held even by the learned Reference Court, that with the development of Bawana Industrial Area Rohini Residential Scheme and Narela Residential Scheme, the subject lands had acquired a building potentiality, but the question would be what would be the value to which the building potentiality would translate itself.

31. 1hold that the learned Reference Court, keeping m view the observatio'n and the findings of the Suprenne Court in La! Chands case (supra) has rightly rejected said evidence ^s reliable. On the issue of reader of the decision, to deal with the same while I shal be discussing as to what should vbe the fair market value of the lands. Page 15 of22 ffi 7^

22. Highlighting that in La! Chancfs case (supra) the Supreme Court held that such raw data was meaningless and was too inchoate wherefrom fair mar!<et value could be crystallized...

23. 1reiterate the reasoning to hold that price at which MCD allotted developed plots in 5a njay 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 lea!;e-hold property under L&DO is transferred by the perpetual h^ssee, suffice would it be to state that the same relates to deveiloped plots and on the parity of reasoning in Lai Chancfs case (supra) wherein this kind of evidence was specifically (discussed and discarded with reference to village Rithala Rohini Residential Scheme, 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 the area and as per the testimony ) who appeared as PW-2 in LAC I n of Trilok. Chand (Halka Patwar No.112A/2008 it emerges tha village. Bhalswa Jahangir Puri: village Burari is on the east of and indeed the plan for Delhi would reveal that the two villages i.e. Bhalswa Jahangir Puri and Burari are separated by tjhe outer ring road as we travel towards Mubarka Chowk frdm the Tibetan' Re-settlement colony adjoining the famous 3urudwara Majnu Ka Tila. The two are adjoining villages separated by 'Outer Ring Road' and LA.App.No.999/2010 &connected matte:;rs Page 16 of22,inr?, -fl n? I thus the fair market value of land on a particular date in the two villages would be compar

26. While assessing the fair in village Burari, which was a dated 24.07.1998 and 18.07 the Land Acquisition Act, •able. market value of the land situated acquired pursuant to notifications 2003 issued under Section 4 of I lad considered the material on record i.e. the evidence in my decision pronounced on 7.6.2011 in a batch of.LA.Appeals, lead matter being L.A. Appeal No.971/2008 titled R^iba! & Ors. Vs. Union of India & Qrs^ In the said decision, I ha of agricultural.land at m,60 d assessed the fair market value,580.82 per acre for Category A land, ?10,44,522.73 per acre for Category B land and ?9,28,464.65 per acre for Ca notification dated 24.7.1998. tegory C land pertaining to the The land acquired pursuant to notification dated 18.07.200^ had been assessed by me at ^9,20,568/- per acre for Category Aland and ^7,28,512/- per acre for Category B land. In Jai Sinoil's case [supra), I had assessed the fair market value. S.No. Village Name Dat unc e of Notification er Section 4 Fair market value (in lakhs per acre)

1.

2. Pooth Khurd Holambi Kalan 7.8,

3. A 1 iXUiCtll Bawana /.o, 7.8. • /:UUU i \ [ ?14.75 ^4.75 for,n[4].38125 for Cateaorv 'B'

4. Khera Khurd — • 11.c i ).2000 '^14.835 for;Category 'A' '^14.46413 for BA.App.No.999/2010 &connected matters 411".5. Narela; 2.5.2001 n[6].165, for ^15.76087 for

6. Holambi Kalan 22. 8.2001 !. ?16.745 for n[6].43811 for

1. Alipur 22. 8.2001 T16.745 for ^6.43811 for

8. Holambi Khurd 22. 8.2001 I ^ 16.745 for ^16.43811 for

9. Rajapur Kalan 22. 8.2001 ^6.745 for ^16.43811 for -10. Sanoth 7.[1] 2.2001 a[7].295

11. Shahpur Garhi 16.5.2002 ?=18.655

12. Shahpur Garhi 23.5.2002 n[8].655

13. Holambi Kalan 23.5.2002 ^8.655,14. Alipur. 23.5.2002 ^8.655

15. Sanoth 27. 1.2003 n[9].43:5 for ns.94:912 for ?18.47539 for Category 'C

16. Rajapur Kalan 27.:L.2003 ?19.435 for ^18.94912 for ^8.47539 for Category 'C 27.' In lai Singh's case (su minimum land rates enhance to time, and found the same LA.App.No.999/2010 &cojmected matte pra) 1 had also analyzed the minimum land rates enhanced by the Government from time not to be the ipse dixit of the rs Page 18 of22 Government officers and had found not only rationale but a reflection of urbanization impacting such increase. With reference to the decisions of four Division Benches of this Court reported as 2006 IV AD Delhi 13 Gairai Sinah l/s. UP! & MH, 2004 IV AD Delhi 20 Ram Chander l/s. UOL 111 (2004) DLT 95 Hukum Singh Vs. UCV and an unreported decision in LA.App.No.866/2005 Mahendbr Sinah Vs. (JO! & Ors. decided on 11.5.2006 wherein based on sale deeds and other evidence various dates between the years;o the minimum price fixed by the Government I had highlighted in paras 50 to; 53 of the said decision as under:- "50. The aforesaid judgments noted in the preceding paragraphs as also the various 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 Delhi over the years commencing from the year 1990. As Df 27.4.1990 minimum price was ^4.65 lakhs per acre which rose to nO lakhs per acre as of 1.4.1997 i.e. the increase is ?5.35 lakhs spread over 7 years which gives us a 115.054% increase in.[7] years and the average price increase would be 16.436%. The price ^ ' i o / 1 year is by 11.2% and thereafter by 11/o for the next 2 years and 11.5% for the next year i.e. sh|ows that due to urbanization, between the year 1990 and 1997 prices grows fairly sharply and good corroborative evidence for this would land price was determined on 1993 to 1996 and in relation t be the decision of the Ga/rafs case (supra), v/f 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 5e. Discussing the evidence agricultural land in village Holannbi Kalan as of 15.11.1996, In paras'9 to 17 LA.App.No.999/2010 &connected matters Page 19 of22 I: the Court discussed the valuation oh 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 method of land prices of comparable lands in the surrounding areas including potentiality, in para 19 onwards the Court discussed the. matter with reference to land prices in adjoining village Bhorgarh where FCI Godowns had come up and based on/sale instances found that based on thp 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 and thus worl<ed; out the mean 121/- per acre for Category 'A' er acre for Category 'B' lands, that the potentiality had been the Government issued the 3n w.e.f. 1.4.1997, evidenced by respect to sale transactions the inst the.minimu.rn price notified average figure of ?9,76 lands and ^9,51,121/- p The decision highlights wel[-factored in when minimum price notificati the fact that even with Court found that as ags as of 1.4.1997 at no lakhs per acre, sale instances were highlighting that the price was ^10,03,364/- per acre.

52. The decision in Mahender Singh'^ case, pertaining to village Bawana, referred to by me in jDara 49 above, highlights with reference! to Para 28 to 31 of the decision that the Master Plan for account by the Court commercial and indu agricultural land in Delhi had noted that notwit Delhi 1990 had been taken into hich was projecting residential, strial future exploitation of and on the issue of potentiality istanding the Master Plan so, - ly..lie i"iaDLci ridii projecting and the lands theoretically acquiring potentiality, the same had not translated into a reality of the notification with concerned, virtually no c evidenced by the fact that till the year 1996 i.e. the date or •hnQ t-\/-v-t-i-p;^.. 'j-i- r • 1.. _.. which the Division Bench was evelopment had.taken place in village Bawana and HolambI Kalan and nobody had pyn nifpH t-ho a„. i ^. -.... ^.nau exploited the potential, para 49 above there is expected to be the mark actually grows. The: c As.I have already highlighted in a gap between what would be et growth and what the. market 'ecisions in. Ga/ra/'s caise and LA.App.No;999/20r0.& connected matters Page 20 of22 -fffTi j Mahender Sinoh's • case highlight, that potentiality translated itself into a when prices rose by thereafter the extende with the requisite mome between 10% per annun could be that pursuant reality between 1990. and 1997 about 16,5% per annum and !d potentiality did not translate;ntum and the acceleration fell to n to 11% per annum. One reason to Master Plan for Delhi 1990 a fairly large area came to 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 relied upon by the; land owners, in irned Reference Court has given upon and for which I have given 21 and 22 hereinabove for not iful sale deeds, to determine fair ^ith us the sale deed relied upon Acquisition Collector pursuant whereto in some references 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 ?19,16,040/- 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/- (?5,39,690/- -f- ^70,160/-) were spent would yield the price n[7],74,109/- per acre as of respect whereof the lea good reasons not to rely further reasons in paras relying upon, being fane market value, we have \ by the learned Land the date of the sale i.e. 20.5.2002.

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, 1 hold that the Learned Reference Court has rightly adopted 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 tihe dates when minimum prices were notified and. the date cjf the notification issued under 0^ Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act and finding no scope to further enhance the compensation or to reduce the same I dismiss ail appeals and cross objections, whether filed by the land owners or the Union of India.

29. I leave the parties to bear their own cost.

SEPTEIVIBER 19, 2011 mm la.App.No.999/2010 &connected matters (PRADEEP NAMDRAJOG) JUDGE