(1)Where any land is acquired by the Government under this Act, the Government shall pay an amount for such acquisition, which shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of this section.(2)Where the amount has been determined by agreement between the Government and the person to whom the amount has to be paid, it shall be paid in accordance with such agreement.(3)Where no such agreement can be reached, the Government shall refer the case to the Collector for determination of the amount to be paid for such acquisition as also the person or persons to whom such amount shall be paid:Provided that no amount exceeding such amount as the Government may, by general or special order, specify, to be paid for such acquisition shall be determined by the Collector without the previous approval of the Government or such officer as the Government may appoint in this behalf.(4)Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (3), after the case is referred to the Collector under that sub-section, but before he has finally determined the amount, if the amount is determined by agreement between the Government and the person to whom the amount has to be paid, such amount shall be paid by the Collector in accordance with such agreement.(5)Before finally determining the amount, the Collector shall give an opportunity to every person to whom the amount has to be paid to state his case as to the amount.(6)In determining the amount, the Collector shall be guided by the provisions contained in sections 23 and 24 and other relevant provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (Central Act I of 1894), subject to modification that in the said sections 23 and 24, the reference to the date of publication of the notification under sub-section (1) of section 4 and the date of publication of the declaration under section 6 of the said Act shall be construed as reference to the date of publication of notice under sub-sections (2) and (1), respectively, of section 15 of this Act.(7)For the purpose of determining the amount-(a)the Collector shall have power to require any person to deliver to him such returns and assessments as he considers necessary;(b)the Collector shall also have power to require any person known or believed to be interested in the land to deliver to him a statement containing, as far as may be practicable, the name of every other person interested in the land as co-owner, mortgagee, tenant or otherwise, and the nature of such interest, and of the rents and profits, if any, received or receivable on account thereof for three years next preceding the date of the statement.(8)Every person required to deliver a return, assessment or statement under sub-section (7) shall be deemed to be legally bound to do so within the meaning of section 175 and section 176 of the Indian Penal Code (Central Act XLV of 1860).(9)The Collector may hear expert witnesses if it be necessary to do so in any particular case.(10)The Collector or any officer authorised by him in this behalf shall be entitled to enter in and inspect any land which is subject to proceedings before him.(11)The Collector shall dispose of every case referred to him under sub-section (3) for determination of amount as expeditiously as possible and in any case within six months from the date of such reference.(12)Where any case is referred to any Collector under sub-section (3), the Government may, at any stage by order in writing and for reasons to be recorded therein, transfer it to any other officer, and upon such transfer, unless some special directions are given in the order, the officer to whom the case is transferred, may hear and dispose of the case from the stage at which it was transferred or the case may be heard and disposed of by him denovo.
