LAW FOR ALL

Notional value of market rate increased at 12% = It is not in dispute that the appellants’ land is similar to that of N.S. Sodhi, who was awarded compensation at the rate of Rs.39/- per sq. yard. It is also not in dispute that N.S. Sodhi’s land was acquired sometime in 1970. Therefore, the High Court should have, keeping in view the law laid down by this Court in Ranjit Singh v. U.T. of Chandigarh (1992) 4 SCC 659, Land Acquisition Officer v. Ramanjulu (2005) 9 SCC 594 and Krishi Utpadan Mandi Samiti v. Bipin Kumar (2004) 2 SCC 283 granted the benefit of notional increase in market value of the acquired land. Similar view has been expressed in Sardar Jogendra Singh v. State of U.P. (2008) 17 SCC 133, Revenue Divl. Officer-cum-LAO v. Sk. Azam Saheb (2009) 4 SCC 395, ONGC Ltd. v. Rameshbhai Jivanbhai Patel (2008) 14 SCC 745 and Valliyammal v. Special Tahsildar (Land Acquisition) (2011) 8 SCC 91. 8. By applying the ratio of the above referred judgments, we hold that the appellants are entitled to the benefit of increase at the rate of 12% per annum. In other words, they are entitled to compensation at the rate of Rs.48.36 per sq. yard which deserves to be rounded off to Rs.49.