Shri Dev Raj & Ors vs Union Of India & Ors
2014 Latest Caselaw 6555 Del

        IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
%                                      Judgment delivered on: 08.12.2014

+       W.P.(C) 7534/2014 and CM No. 17809/2014

SHRI DEV RAJ & ORS                                     .... Petitioners
                                       versus
UNION OF INDIA & ORS                                   ..... Respondents

Advocates who appeared in this case:
For the Petitioner  : Mr N.S. Vasisht with Ms Jyoti Kataria and Mr M.P. Bhargava
For the Respondents : Mr Hashmat Nabi and Mr Anuj Singh for UOI
                      Mr Yeeshu Jain and Ms Jyoti Tyagi for the Respondent/L&B
                      and LAC.
                      Mr M.K. Singh for DDA
CORAM:-
HON'BLE MR JUSTICE BADAR DURREZ AHMED
HON'BLE MR JUSTICE SIDDHARTH MRIDUL

                                  JUDGMENT

BADAR DURREZ AHMED, J (ORAL)

1. The counter affidavit filed on behalf of respondent Nos. 4 and 5 by

Mr Yeeshu Jain is taken on record. The petitioners do not wish to file

any rejoinder affidavit.

2. The petitioners seek the benefit of Section 24(2) of the Right to

Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation

and Resettlement Act, 2013 (hereinafter referred to as 'the 2013 Act')

which came into effect on 01.01.2014. A declaration is sought to the

effect that the acquisition proceeding initiated under the Land Acquisition

Act, 1894 (hereinafter referred to as 'the 1894 Act') in respect of which

Award No. 33/1986-87 dated 19.09.1986 was made, inter alia, in respect

of the petitioners' land comprised in Khasra No. 856/1 measuring 3

bighas and 14 biswas in all in village Mahipalpur shall be deemed to have

lapsed.

3. Though the respondents claimed that possession of the said land

was taken on 27.03.2001, the petitioners dispute this and maintain that

physical possession has not been taken. However, insofar as the issue of

compensation is concerned, it is an admitted position that it has not been

paid.

4. Without going into the controversy of physical possession, this

much is clear that the Award was made more than five years prior to the

commencement of the 2013 Act and the compensation has also not been

paid. The necessary ingredients for the application of Section 24(2) of

the 2013 Act as interpreted by the Supreme Court and this Court in the

following cases stand satisfied:-

(1) Pune Municipal Corporation and Anr v. Harakchand Misirimal Solanki and Ors: (2014) 3 SCC 183;

(2) Union of India and Ors v. Shiv Raj and Ors: (2014) 6 SCC 564;

(3) Sree Balaji Nagar Residential Association v. State of Tamil Nadu and Ors: Civil Appeal No. 8700/2013 decided on 10.09.2014;

(4) Surender Singh v. Union of India & Others: WP(C) 2294/2014 decided on 12.09.2014 by this Court; and

(5) Girish Chhabra v. Lt. Governor of Delhi and Ors:

WP(C) 2759/2014 decided on 12.09.2014 by this Court.

5. As a result, the petitioners are entitled to a declaration that the said

acquisition proceedings initiated under the 1894 Act in respect of the

subject land are deemed to have lapsed. It is so declared.

6. The writ petition is allowed to the aforesaid extent. There shall be

no order as to costs.

BADAR DURREZ AHMED, J

SIDDHARTH MRIDUL, J DECEMBER 08, 2014 SU