Punjab-Haryana High Court
National Highways Authority Of India vs Jarnail Singh And Others on 9 April, 2024
Author: Suvir Sehgal
Bench: Suvir Sehgal
Neutral Citation No:=2024:PHHC:048197
CR-7608-2023 (O&M);
CR-7610-2023 (O&M);
CR-7611-2023 (O&M);
CR-7614-2023 (O&M);
CR-7615-2023 (O&M);
CR-7616-2023 (O&M);
CR-7617-2023 (O&M);
CR-7618-2023 (O&M);
CR-7619-2023 (O&M);
CR-7743-2023 (O&M);
CR-54-2024 (O&M); and
CR-1468-2024
2024:PHHC:048197
118(11 cases) + 277-2 -1-
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT
CHANDIGARH
(1) CR-7608-2023 (O&M)
National Highways Authority of India
...Petitioner
Versus
Jarnail Singh and others
...Respondents
(2) CR-7610-2023 (O&M)
National Highways Authority of India
...Petitioner
Versus
Fateh Singh and others
...Respondents
(3) CR-7611-2023 (O&M)
National Highways Authority of India
...Petitioner
Versus
Gurmail Kaur and others
...Respondents
(4) CR-7614-2023 (O&M)
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Neutral Citation No:=2024:PHHC:048197
CR-7608-2023 (O&M);
CR-7610-2023 (O&M);
CR-7611-2023 (O&M);
CR-7614-2023 (O&M);
CR-7615-2023 (O&M);
CR-7616-2023 (O&M);
CR-7617-2023 (O&M);
CR-7618-2023 (O&M);
CR-7619-2023 (O&M);
CR-7743-2023 (O&M);
CR-54-2024 (O&M); and
CR-1468-2024
2024:PHHC:048197
118(11 cases) + 277-2 -2-
National Highways Authority of India
...Petitioner
Versus
Inderjit Sharma and others
...Respondents
(5) CR-7615-2023 (O&M)
National Highways Authority of India
...Petitioner
Versus
Karam Singh and others
...Respondents
(6) CR-7616-2023 (O&M)
National Highways Authority of India
...Petitioner
Versus
Narang Singh and others
...Respondents
(7) CR-7617-2023 (O&M)
National Highways Authority of India
...Petitioner
Versus
Balwinder Kaur and others
...Respondents
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Neutral Citation No:=2024:PHHC:048197
CR-7608-2023 (O&M);
CR-7610-2023 (O&M);
CR-7611-2023 (O&M);
CR-7614-2023 (O&M);
CR-7615-2023 (O&M);
CR-7616-2023 (O&M);
CR-7617-2023 (O&M);
CR-7618-2023 (O&M);
CR-7619-2023 (O&M);
CR-7743-2023 (O&M);
CR-54-2024 (O&M); and
CR-1468-2024
2024:PHHC:048197
118(11 cases) + 277-2 -3-
(8) CR-7618-2023 (O&M)
National Highways Authority of India
...Petitioner
Versus
Gurbachan Singh and others
...Respondents
(9) CR-7619-2023 (O&M)
National Highways Authority of India
...Petitioner
Versus
Sukhwinder Singh and others
...Respondents
(10) CR-7743-2023 (O&M)
National Highways Authority of India
...Petitioner
Versus
Nihal Singh (since deceased through LRs) and others
...Respondents
(11) CR-54-2024 (O&M)
National Highways Authority of India
...Petitioner
Versus
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Neutral Citation No:=2024:PHHC:048197
CR-7608-2023 (O&M);
CR-7610-2023 (O&M);
CR-7611-2023 (O&M);
CR-7614-2023 (O&M);
CR-7615-2023 (O&M);
CR-7616-2023 (O&M);
CR-7617-2023 (O&M);
CR-7618-2023 (O&M);
CR-7619-2023 (O&M);
CR-7743-2023 (O&M);
CR-54-2024 (O&M); and
CR-1468-2024
2024:PHHC:048197
118(11 cases) + 277-2 -4-
Karnail Singh and others
...Respondents
(12) 277-2 CR-1468-2024
Maha Singh (since deceased) through his legal representative
...Petitioner
Versus
National Highways Authority of India and others
...Respondents
Date of decision:-09.04.2024
CORAM: HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE SUVIR SEHGAL
Present: Mr.K.P. Singh, Advocate for
Mr.K.S. Kang, Advocate
for the petitioner (s) in all cases except
CR-1468-2024 and
for respondent No.1 in CR-1468-2024.
Mr.Ranjit Saini, Advocate &
Mr.Nitin Mehta, Advocate
for the petitioner in CR-1468-2024 and
for respondent No.1 - landowner(s) in remaining cases.
****
SUVIR SEHGAL, J.(ORAL)
1. This order shall dispose of all the above-noted petitions as
they involve common questions of law and fact. For the sake of
convenience, factual position is being taken from CR-7608-2023.
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Neutral Citation No:=2024:PHHC:048197
CR-7608-2023 (O&M);
CR-7610-2023 (O&M);
CR-7611-2023 (O&M);
CR-7614-2023 (O&M);
CR-7615-2023 (O&M);
CR-7616-2023 (O&M);
CR-7617-2023 (O&M);
CR-7618-2023 (O&M);
CR-7619-2023 (O&M);
CR-7743-2023 (O&M);
CR-54-2024 (O&M); and
CR-1468-2024
2024:PHHC:048197
118(11 cases) + 277-2 -5-
2. Instant petition has been filed under Article 227 of the
Constitution of India for setting aside of order dated 04.02.2023,
Annexure P14 whereby conditional stay order of deposit of the enhanced
amount and its disbursal, has been vacated.
3. Counsel for the petitioner submits that land belonging to
private respondent No.1 was acquired for widening of existing National
Highway No.64. Competent Authority-cum-SDM, Sangrur awarded
compensation to the landowner vide award dated 15.01.2014. Aggrieved
with the award, landowner filed a petition before the Commissioner - cum
- Arbitrar, Patiala, who vide award dated 09.05.2019, Annexure P1,
enhanced the compensation. Counsel submits that objections have been
filed under Section 34 of Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (for short
"the Act"), which are pending. He submits that although the operation of
the award passed by the Arbitrator was initially stayed but by the
impugned order stay has been vacated. Placing reliance upon the
judgments of Supreme Court in The Project Director National Highways
Authority of India Versus Saraswatibai Chandrakant Shinde and
others, 2022 (5) R.A.J. 371 and National Highways Authority of India
Versus Sheetal Jaidev Vade and others, 2022 (5) R.A.J. 651, he submits
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Neutral Citation No:=2024:PHHC:048197
CR-7608-2023 (O&M);
CR-7610-2023 (O&M);
CR-7611-2023 (O&M);
CR-7614-2023 (O&M);
CR-7615-2023 (O&M);
CR-7616-2023 (O&M);
CR-7617-2023 (O&M);
CR-7618-2023 (O&M);
CR-7619-2023 (O&M);
CR-7743-2023 (O&M);
CR-54-2024 (O&M); and
CR-1468-2024
2024:PHHC:048197
118(11 cases) + 277-2 -6-
that the impugned order deserves to be modified in the terms as the
observations made therein.
4. Mr.Ranjit Saini, Advocate, who is representing the
landowner - respondent No.1 does not have any objection in case the
same course is adopted.
5. In view of the above, the impugned order, Annexure P14 is
modified with the following directions:
(i) NHAI shall deposit 50 per cent of the compensation amount, as
awarded by the Arbitral Court, with the Executing Court within a
period of four weeks if not done so far. The said amount shall be
released to the land owners unconditionally.
(ii) The learned District Court, before whom the proceedings under
Section 34 of the Act are pending, shall make an endeavour to
decide such proceedings within a period of six months.
(iii) The balance amount of compensation as per the order to be
passed under Section 34 of the Act, shall be deposited by the NHAI
with the Executing Court within four weeks after such
determination. The said amount shall also be released by the
Executing Court in favour of the land owners subject to the rights
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Neutral Citation No:=2024:PHHC:048197
CR-7608-2023 (O&M);
CR-7610-2023 (O&M);
CR-7611-2023 (O&M);
CR-7614-2023 (O&M);
CR-7615-2023 (O&M);
CR-7616-2023 (O&M);
CR-7617-2023 (O&M);
CR-7618-2023 (O&M);
CR-7619-2023 (O&M);
CR-7743-2023 (O&M);
CR-54-2024 (O&M); and
CR-1468-2024
2024:PHHC:048197
118(11 cases) + 277-2 -7-
and remedies available to the parties in law.
6. At this stage, it has been pointed out by counsel for the
petitioner that in some of the cases 100% amount as awarded by the
Arbitrator has been deposited. In such cases, the remaining amount after
disbursal of 50% amount to the landowner as per para 5(i) above, be kept
in a fixed deposit, subject to the decision of the objections under Section
34 of the Act.
7. All the petitions stand disposed of.
8. Miscellaneous application (s), if any, stand disposed of.
9. A photocopy of this order be placed on the connected
petitions.
09.04.2024 (SUVIR SEHGAL)
Brij JUDGE
Whether reasoned/speaking : Yes/No
Whether reportable : Yes/No
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