Sandhya Windlass vs Lt. Governor, Govt Of Nct Of Delhi ...
2015 Latest Caselaw 6661 Del

$~35
*       IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
%                                      Judgment delivered on: 07.09.2015

+       W.P.(C) 3284/2015 & CM No.5883/2015


SANDHYA WINDLASS                                              .... Petitioner
                                       versus


LT. GOVERNOR, GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI AND ORS.
                                                              ..... Respondents

Advocates who appeared in this case:
For the Petitioner  : Mr Manish Kaushik, Advocates.
For the Respondents : Mr Siddharth Panda, Advocates for respondent Nos.1, 3 &
                      4.
                      Ms Misha Rohtagi, Advocate for Govt. of NCT of Delhi.
CORAM:-
HON'BLE MR JUSTICE BADAR DURREZ AHMED
HON'BLE MR JUSTICE SANJEEV SACHDEVA

                                  JUDGMENT

BADAR DURREZ AHMED, J (ORAL)

1. The petitioner seeks 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.14/1987-88 dated 26.05.1987 was made, inter alia, in respect

of the petitioner's land comprised in Khasra Nos. 713/2 (4-03) and 717

Min (2-08) & 718/2 (4-03) measuring 10 bighas 14 biswas in all in

village Satbari shall be deemed to have lapsed.

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

was taken on 14.07.1987, the petitioner disputes this and maintains 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. It is, however, contended by the learned counsel for the respondent

that the amount has been deposited in the treasury. But, that does not

amount to payment of compensation as held in Pune Municipal

Corporation and Anr. v. Harakchand Misirimal Solanki & Ors: (2014)

3 SCC 183, unless and until the same had been offered to the land

owners.

3. 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.

4. As a result, the petitioner is 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.

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

no order as to costs.

                                         BADAR DURREZ AHMED, J



SEPTEMBER 7, 2015                        SANJEEV SACHDEVA, J
st