REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 5337-5434 OF 2022
(Arising out of SLP(Civil) Nos.10810-10907/2019)
Jagjit Singh and Others Etc. Etc.
…Appellants
Versus
State of Punjab and Another Etc. Etc.
…Respondents
JUDGMENT
M.R. SHAH, J.
1. Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied with the impugned common judgment(s) and order(s) dated 28.01.2010/18.05.2010/07.03.2012 passed in the respective first appeals, dated 12.08.2013 in RFA No. 2948/2007 and dated 2.8.2013 passed in RFA No. 4975/2010, the particulars of which are as under, Sl.No. Particulars RFA No. Date of Order Section 4 Notification date 01 Jagjit Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Anr.
1612/2000 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
02 Bhag Singh & Anr. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1616/2000 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
03 Naranjan Singh (D) through Joginder Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1618/2000 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
04 Amarjit Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 2319/2000 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
05 Gian Singh v. State of Punjab & Others 2632/2000 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
06 Kuldip Singh v. State of Punjab & Anr. 2669/2000 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
07 Kharaiti Ram v. State of Punjab & Ors. 277/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
08 Mehar Singh v. State of Punjab 280/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
09 Kamaljit Kaur v. State of Punjab & Ors. 317/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
10 Amrik Singh v. State of Punjab 328/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
11 Desa Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1307/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
12 Thakur Dass v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1309/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
13 Daljit Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Anr. 1310/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
14 Mohinder Singh v. 1312/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab 15 Jagir Singh v. State of Punjab & Anr.
1313/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
16 Dalbag Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab 1316/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
17 Amarjit Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1377/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
18 Mehar Singh & Anr. v. State of Punjab & Anr. 1379/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
19 Gurnam Singh & Anr. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1452/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
20 Mohinder Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1719/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
21 Gian Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1983/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
22 Surinder Pal Singh & Anr. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1984/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
23 Dharam Singh v. State of Punjab 2133/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
24 Bachan Singh (D) through Lr. Jaswinder Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 2137/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
25 Pargat Singh & Anr. v. State of Punjab & Anr. 2150/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
26 Paramjit Singh & Anr. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 2154/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
27 Sohan Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 2159/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
28 Lakbir Singh v. State of Punjab 2182/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
29 Purni v. State of 2183/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 Punjab & Ors. 30 Hukam Singh & Anr. v. State of Punjab
2221/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
31 Achhra Singh v. State of Punjab & Anr. 2224/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
32 Jarnail Kaur & Anr. V. State of Punjab 2225/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
33 Kaka Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 2226/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
34 Rajinder Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 2280/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
35 Smt. Palo v. State of Punjab 2315/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
36 Gurjit Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 2957/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
37 Gurcharan Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 2958/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
38 Dayal Singh v. State of Punjab & Anr. 3352/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
39 Sher Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 3412/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
40 Shamsher Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab 3555/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
41 Kulwant Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 4158/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
42 Dayal Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 4249/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
43 Harbans Singh v. State of Punjab & Anr. 4311/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
44 Gurmukhi Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Anr. 4628/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
45 Din Dayal Verma v. State of Punjab & 5784/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
Ors. 46 Surinder Pal Singh & Anr. v. State of Punjab & Ors.
338/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
47 Norang Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 666/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
48 Sadhu Singh & Anr. V. State of Punjab & Ors. 816/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
49 Jit Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 2872/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
50 Karnail Singh (D) through Lrs. Kuldip Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab 3257/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
51 Karnail Singh (D) through Lrs. Surjit Singh & Anr. V. State of Punjab 3259/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
52 Rajinder Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 3265/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
53 Mohan Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Anr. 3294/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
54 Mohinder Singh v. State of Punjab & Anr. 1054/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
55 Shamsher Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Anr. 1079/2003 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
56 Mehar Singh v. State of Punjab 1470/2003 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
57 Charan Singh (D) through Lrs. Kuldip Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Anr. 1472/2003 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
58 Gian Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1546/2003 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
59 Karnail Singh & Anr. v. State of Punjab & Anr. 327/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
60 Karnail Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 4550/2003 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
61 Labh Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 2932/2005 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
62 Hernai Singh & Anr. V. State of Punjab 3447/2006 18.05.2010 12.11.1992
63 Malkit Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1828/2007 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
64 Jagdish Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1298/2009 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
65 Gurmail Singh v. State of Punjab & Anr. 1302/2009 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
66 Daljit Singh v. State of Punjab & Anr. 5164/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
67 Mehar Singh v. State of Punjab & Anr. 1424/2009 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
68 Gurmail Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1434/2001 18.05.2010 12.11.1992
69 Mohinder Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 4648/2001 18.05.2010 12.11.1992
70 Sohan Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 3603/2002 18.05.2010 12.11.1992
71 Nachhatar Kaur v. State of Punjab & Anr. 4201/2002 18.05.2010 12.11.1992
72 Sadhu Singh & Anr. V. State of Punjab & Anr. 2426/2003 18.05.2010 12.11.1992
73 Amrik Singh & Anr. V. State of Punjab 2427/2003 18.05.2010 12.11.1992
74 Bant Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 2666/2003 18.05.2010 12.11.1992
75 Harnai Singh & Anr. V. State of Punjab 2490/2004 18.05.2010 12.11.1992
76 Gurmit Singh v. State of Punjab & Anr. 501/2005 18.05.2010 12.11.1992
77 Kuldip Singh v. State of Punjab 5138/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
78 Sadhu Singh & Anr. V. State of Punjab & Ors. 5139/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
79 Amrik Singh v. State of Punjab 5590/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
80 Sadhu Singh & Anr. V. State of Punjab 5591/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
81 Jit Singh v. State of Punjab 5597/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
82 Shamsher Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab 5715/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
83 Achhra Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Anr. 5733/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
84 Labh Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 5787/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
85 Talok Singh v. State of Punjab 205/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
86 Kaka Singh v. State of Punjab & Ors. 207/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
87 Desa Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 933/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
88 Sarabjit Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1370/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
89 Tarlochan Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 1936/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
90 Kaka Singh & Ors. 2492/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 v. State of Punjab & Ors. 91 Mohinder Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab
2550/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
92 Baljit Singh & Anr. V. State of Punjab & Ors. 4194/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
93 Jawala Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Anr. 2480/2003 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
94 Lakhmir Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 2787/2003 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
95 Dilbagh Singh & Anr. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 3279/2003 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
96 Sadhu Singh & Anr. V. State of Punjab & Ors. 4258/2003 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
97 Kamljit Singh v. State of Punjab 2948/2007 07.03.2012 14.06.1993
98 Paramjit Kaur & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors. 4975/2010 02.08.2013 21.02.2000
determining/awarding the compensation for the acquired lands in question at Rs. 7,80,000/- per acre, the original landowners have preferred the present appeals.
2. At the outset, it is required to be noted that while determining the amount of compensation @ Rs. 7,80,000/- per acre in the respective first appeals except RFA No. 4975/2010, the High Court has relied upon its earlier decision in the case of Kapoor Singh v. The State of Punjab & Another (RFA No. 2348/1998 decided on 28.01.2010). So far as Civil Appeal arising out of impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court dated 2.8.2013 in RFA No. 4975/2010 is concerned, the High Court has determined the compensation at Rs. 19,85,700/- per acre, relying upon its earlier decision in the case of Surjit Singh v. State of Punjab & Another (RFA No. 3004/2006 decided on 2.3.2009).
3. It is not in dispute that the aforesaid decisions of the High Court in the cases of Kapoor Singh (supra) & Surjit Singh (supra) were the subject matter of appeals before this Court and in the case of Kapoor Singh (supra) and other allied first appeals, this Court has enhanced the amount of compensation by a further amount of Rs.1,00,000/- and Rs. 2,00,000/- per acre in the case of Surjit Singh (supra), payable by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority with interest and solatium as prescribed under the Statute from the date of the orders passed by the High Court (vide common order dated 15.01.2014 passed in Civil Appeal Nos. 738-748/2014 – Kapoor Singh v. State of Punjab & Another Etc. and Civil Appeal No. 363/2013 – Surjit Singh v. State of Punjab & Anr. Etc.).
4. It is not in dispute that the landowners in the present appeals are similarly situated. As observed hereinabove, while determining the compensation by the impugned common judgment and order/s, the High Court has relied upon its earlier decisions in the cases of Kapoor Singh (supra) & Surjit Singh (supra) respectively. Therefore, the present appeals are also required to be disposed of in terms of the decision of this Court in the cases of Kapoor Singh (supra) & Surjit Singh (supra), by enhancing the amount of compensation by a further sum of Rs.1,00,000/- per acre and Rs. 2,00,000/- per acre respectively. However, there is a substantial delay in preferring the first appeals. Therefore, we deem it appropriate to deny the interest on the enhanced amount of compensation from the date of the judgment and order/s passed by the High Court till the present appeals (special leave petitions) are preferred before this Court.
5. In view of the undisputed facts, all these appeals are partly allowed. Accordingly, we enhance the amount of compensation payable to the landowners to Rs. 1,00,000/- per acre in all these appeals where the High Court has relied upon its earlier decision in the case of Kapoor Singh (supra) except Civil appeal arising out of the impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court passed in RFA No. 4975/2010 in which the High Court has relied upon its earlier decision in the case of Surjit Singh (supra). We enhance the amount of compensation payable to the landowners to Rs. 2,00,000/- per acre in Civil Appeal arising out of the impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court in RFA No. 4975/2010. It is also ordered that the original landowners shall be entitled to solatium as prescribed under the statute on the enhanced amount of compensation from the date of orders passed by the High Court. However, the original landowners – claimants shall not be entitled to interest from the date of the orders passed by the High Court till filing of the appeals before this Court. The enhanced amount of compensation shall be deposited by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority within three months from today before the Reference Court.
6. All these appeals are accordingly disposed of in the aforesaid terms. However, in the facts and circumstances of the case, there shall be no order as to costs.
…………………………………J. [M.R. SHAH] NEW DELHI; ………………………………….J. AUGUST 26, 2022. [B.V. NAGARATHNA]