Supreme Court of India
Jagjit Singh And Ors. Etc. Etc. vs State Of Punjab And Anr. Etc. Etc. on 26 August, 2022
Author: M.R. Shah
Bench: B.V. Nagarathna, M.R. Shah
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, Signature Not Verified Digitally signed by R Natarajan Date: 2022.08.26 16:55:44 IST Reason: 1 Sl.No. Particulars RFA No. Date of Order Section 4 Notification date 01 Jagjit Singh & Ors. 1612/2000 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 v. State of Punjab & Anr.
02 Bhag Singh & Anr. 1616/2000 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 v. State of Punjab & Ors.
03 Naranjan Singh (D) 1618/2000 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
through Joginder
Singh & Ors. v.
State of Punjab &
Ors.
04 Amarjit Singh v. 2319/2000 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
State of Punjab &
Ors.
05 Gian Singh v. State 2632/2000 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
of Punjab & Others
06 Kuldip Singh v. 2669/2000 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
State of Punjab &
Anr.
07 Kharaiti Ram v. 277/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
State of Punjab &
Ors.
08 Mehar Singh v. 280/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
State of Punjab
09 Kamaljit Kaur v. 317/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
State of Punjab &
Ors.
10 Amrik Singh v. State 328/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
of Punjab
11 Desa Singh & Ors. 1307/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
v. State of Punjab &
Ors.
12 Thakur Dass v. 1309/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
State of Punjab &
Ors.
13 Daljit Singh & Ors. 1310/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
v. State of Punjab &
Anr.
14 Mohinder Singh v. 1312/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
2
State of Punjab
15 Jagir Singh v. State 1313/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
of Punjab & Anr.
16 Dalbag Singh & 1316/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
Ors. v. State of
Punjab
17 Amarjit Singh v. 1377/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
State of Punjab &
Ors.
18 Mehar Singh & Anr. 1379/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
v. State of Punjab &
Anr.
19 Gurnam Singh & 1452/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
Anr. v. State of
Punjab & Ors.
20 Mohinder Singh v. 1719/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
State of Punjab &
Ors.
21 Gian Singh v. State 1983/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
of Punjab & Ors.
22 Surinder Pal Singh 1984/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
& Anr. v. State of
Punjab & Ors.
23 Dharam Singh v. 2133/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
State of Punjab
24 Bachan Singh (D) 2137/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
through Lr.
Jaswinder Singh v.
State of Punjab &
Ors.
25 Pargat Singh & Anr. 2150/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
v. State of Punjab &
Anr.
26 Paramjit Singh & 2154/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
Anr. v. State of
Punjab & Ors.
27 Sohan Singh & Ors. 2159/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
v. State of Punjab &
Ors.
28 Lakbir Singh v. 2182/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
State of Punjab
29 Purni v. State of 2183/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
3
Punjab & Ors.
30 Hukam Singh & Anr. 2221/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
v. State of Punjab
31 Achhra Singh v. 2224/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
State of Punjab &
Anr.
32 Jarnail Kaur & Anr. 2225/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
V. State of Punjab
33 Kaka Singh v. State 2226/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
of Punjab & Ors.
34 Rajinder Singh v. 2280/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
State of Punjab &
Ors.
35 Smt. Palo v. State 2315/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
of Punjab
36 Gurjit Singh & Ors. 2957/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
v. State of Punjab &
Ors.
37 Gurcharan Singh v. 2958/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992
State of Punjab &
Ors.
38 Dayal Singh v. State 3352/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 of Punjab & Anr.
39 Sher Singh & Ors. 3412/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 v. State of Punjab & Ors.
40 Shamsher Singh & 3555/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 Ors. v. State of Punjab 41 Kulwant Singh & 4158/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors.
42 Dayal Singh v. State 4249/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 of Punjab & Ors.
43 Harbans Singh v. 4311/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab & Anr.
44 Gurmukhi Singh & 4628/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 Ors. v. State of Punjab & Anr.
45 Din Dayal Verma v. 5784/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab & 4 Ors.
46 Surinder Pal Singh 338/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 & Anr. v. State of Punjab & Ors.
47 Norang Singh v. 666/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab & Ors.
48 Sadhu Singh & Anr. 816/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 V. State of Punjab & Ors.
49 Jit Singh v. State of 2872/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 Punjab & Ors.
50 Karnail Singh (D) 3257/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 through Lrs. Kuldip Singh & Ors. v.
State of Punjab 51 Karnail Singh (D) 3259/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 through Lrs. Surjit Singh & Anr. V. State of Punjab 52 Rajinder Singh v. 3265/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab & Ors.
53 Mohan Singh & Ors. 3294/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 v. State of Punjab & Anr.
54 Mohinder Singh v. 1054/2002 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab & Anr.
55 Shamsher Singh & 1079/2003 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 Ors. v. State of Punjab & Anr.
56 Mehar Singh v. 1470/2003 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab 57 Charan Singh (D) 1472/2003 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 through Lrs. Kuldip Singh & Ors. v.
State of Punjab & Anr.
58 Gian Singh & Ors. 1546/2003 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 v. State of Punjab & Ors.
559 Karnail Singh & Anr. 327/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 v. State of Punjab & Anr.
60 Karnail Singh v. 4550/2003 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab & Ors.
61 Labh Singh & Ors. 2932/2005 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 v. State of Punjab & Ors.
62 Hernai Singh & Anr. 3447/2006 18.05.2010 12.11.1992 V. State of Punjab 63 Malkit Singh v. 1828/2007 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab & Ors.
64 Jagdish Singh v. 1298/2009 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab & Ors.
65 Gurmail Singh v. 1302/2009 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab & Anr.
66 Daljit Singh v. State 5164/2001 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 of Punjab & Anr.
67 Mehar Singh v. 1424/2009 28.01.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab & Anr.
68 Gurmail Singh & 1434/2001 18.05.2010 12.11.1992 Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors.
69 Mohinder Singh & 4648/2001 18.05.2010 12.11.1992 Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors.
70 Sohan Singh & Ors. 3603/2002 18.05.2010 12.11.1992 v. State of Punjab & Ors.
71 Nachhatar Kaur v. 4201/2002 18.05.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab & Anr.
72 Sadhu Singh & Anr. 2426/2003 18.05.2010 12.11.1992 V. State of Punjab & Anr.
73 Amrik Singh & Anr. 2427/2003 18.05.2010 12.11.1992 V. State of Punjab 6 74 Bant Singh & Ors. v. 2666/2003 18.05.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab & Ors.
75 Harnai Singh & Anr. 2490/2004 18.05.2010 12.11.1992 V. State of Punjab 76 Gurmit Singh v. 501/2005 18.05.2010 12.11.1992 State of Punjab & Anr.
77 Kuldip Singh v. 5138/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 State of Punjab 78 Sadhu Singh & Anr. 5139/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 V. State of Punjab & Ors.
79 Amrik Singh v. State 5590/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 of Punjab 80 Sadhu Singh & Anr. 5591/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 V. State of Punjab 81 Jit Singh v. State of 5597/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 Punjab 82 Shamsher Singh & 5715/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 Ors. v. State of Punjab 83 Achhra Singh & 5733/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 Ors. v. State of Punjab & Anr.
84 Labh Singh & Ors. 5787/2001 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 v. State of Punjab & Ors.
85 Talok Singh v. State 205/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 of Punjab 86 Kaka Singh v. State 207/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 of Punjab & Ors.
87 Desa Singh & Ors. 933/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 v. State of Punjab & Ors.
88 Sarabjit Singh & 1370/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors.
89 Tarlochan Singh & 1936/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors.
90 Kaka Singh & Ors. 2492/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 7 v. State of Punjab & Ors.
91 Mohinder Singh & 2550/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 Ors. v. State of Punjab 92 Baljit Singh & Anr. 4194/2002 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 V. State of Punjab & Ors.
93 Jawala Singh & 2480/2003 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 Ors. v. State of Punjab & Anr.
94 Lakhmir Singh & 2787/2003 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors.
95 Dilbagh Singh & 3279/2003 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 Anr. v. State of Punjab & Ors.
96 Sadhu Singh & Anr. 4258/2003 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 V. State of Punjab & Ors.
97 Kamljit Singh v. 2948/2007 07.03.2012 14.06.1993 State of Punjab 98 Paramjit Kaur & 4975/2010 02.08.2013 21.02.2000 Ors. v. State of Punjab & Ors.
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 8 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 9 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 10 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] 11