Bombay High Court
MANIKRAO ABAJI GUTTEversusTHE STATE OF MAH AND ORS
- Disposal
- PARTLY ALLOWED AND PARTLY DISMISSED
Holding
The appeals are partly allowed; compensation is fixed at Rs.2181 per R for dry land with statutory benefits and interest as per the Land Acquisition Act, following the coordinate bench order.
Summary
The acquisition proceedings for the Yeldariwadi Storage Tank project began in 2004 and resulted in a district court award on 18 October 2011. The original claimants appealed the award in multiple first appeals filed in 2012. The appellants argued that a later coordinate bench order dated 23 April 2026 in FA No. 1132/2012, which fixed market values for irrigated and non‑irrigated land, should govern their case. The High Court agreed that the controversy was identical to that decided in the coordinate bench and therefore applied the same valuation, granting compensation of Rs.2181 per R for dry land along with all statutory benefits and interest under Sections 28 and 34 of the Land Acquisition Act. The court partially allowed the appeals, modified the district court award accordingly, and disposed of pending civil applications.
Issues considered
- The appropriate valuation rate for non‑irrigated (dry) land in the compensation award.
- Whether the coordinate bench order in FA No. 1132/2012 is binding on the present appeals.
- Entitlement of claimants to statutory benefits and interest under the Land Acquisition Act.
Legislation cited
- Land Acquisition Act — s. 28, 34
Subjects
- land acquisition
- compensation
- market value
- statutory benefits
- interest
- coordinate bench precedent
- civil applications
Judgment
2026:BHC-AUG:39490
FA 882/12 & Ors.
1
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
BENCH AT AURANGABAD
16 FIRST APPEAL NO. 882 OF 2012
KAMALBAI ANNASAHEB GUTTE AND ORS
VERSUS
THE STATE OF MAH AND ORS
...
Advocate for Appellant : Mr. Kale Ajeet B.
AGP for Respondent/State : Mr. S.N. Morampalle
Advocate for Respondent 3 : Mr. Mukul S. Kulkarni
…
WITH
CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 15596 OF 2015 IN FA/888/2012
WITH
CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 1177 OF 2016 IN FA/882/2012
WITH
CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 1180 OF 2016 IN FA/884/2012
WITH
CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 1168 OF 2016 IN FA/881/2012
WITH
CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 1172 OF 2016 IN FA/883/2012
WITH
CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 1173 OF 2016 IN FA/883/2012
WITH
CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 1170 OF 2016 IN FA/881/2012
WITH
FIRST APPEAL NO. 881 OF 2012
WITH
FIRST APPEAL NO. 887 OF 2012
WITH
FIRST APPEAL NO. 888 OF 2012
WITH
CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 15595 OF 2015 IN FA/888/2012
WITH
CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 1175 OF 2016 IN FA/882/2012
WITH
FIRST APPEAL NO. 883 OF 2012
WITH
CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 6000 OF 2015 IN FA/887/2012
WITH
CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 5999 OF 2015 IN FA/887/2012
WITH
CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 1181 OF 2016 IN FA/884/2012
FA 882/12 & Ors.
2
WITH
FIRST APPEAL NO. 884 OF 2012
…
CORAM : SIDDHESHWAR S. THOMBRE, J.
Dated : August 24, 2026
PER COURT :-
1. As the acquisition proceedings were initiated in the year 2004, heard
finally with the consent of learned counsel for respective parties.
2. By these appeals, the appellants/original claimants assail the
judgment and award dated 18.10.2011 passed by the learned District
Judge-1, Ahmedpur in LAR Nos. 318, 320, 317, 319, 316 and 315 of 2011,
respectively.
3. Both the counsel tendered across bar the copy of order dated
23.4.2026 passed by the coordinate bench of this Court in FA No.
1132/2012 (Bhagwanrao Dharbaji Gutte and others Vs. The State of
Maharashtra and Ors.) and other connected matter. They submit that the
present appeals as well as FA No. 1131/2012 (supra) arise from the same
project i.e. Yeldariwadi Storage Tank, Taluka Ahmedpur, District Latur. In FA
No. 1131/2012 (supra) the coordinate bench of this Court has determined
the market value of irrigated land at the rate of Rs.4362/- per R. and non
irrigated land at the rate of Rs.2181/- per R. They submit that the said
order covers the present matters and and consequently, the present appeals
deserve to be disposed of in terms thereof.
4. Having considered the submissions advanced by the learned counsel
for the respective parties, and in view of the admitted position that the
controversy involved in the present appeals is identical to the one decided
by the Coordinate Bench in FA No. 1132/12 (supra), I see no reason to take
FA 882/12 & Ors.
3
a different view. The present appeal, therefore, deserves to be disposed of
in terms of the said judgment and order. Hence, the following order :-
ORDER
(i) First appeals filed by the original claimants are partly allowed.
(ii) The claimants are entitled to receive compensation at the rate of
Rs.2181/- per R. for Jirayat/dry.
(iii) The claimants are further entitled to all consequential statutory
benefits on enhanced compensation in accordance with the provisions of the
Land Acquisition Act.
(iv) The claimants are further entitled to interest under section 28 and 34
of the Act, strictly in accordance with the law laid down by the the Full
Bench of this Court in the case of State of Maharashtra Vs. Kailas Shiva
Rangari, 2016 (4) Mh.L.J. 457.
(v) The impugned judgment and award of the reference court is modified
accordingly.
(vi) Claimants to pay the deficit court fees, if any, on enhanced amount.
(vii) Pending civil applications, if any, also stand disposed of.
( SIDDHESHWAR S. THOMBRE, J. )
ssc/
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