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Bombay High Court

GMIDC THR THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, LATUR MINOR IRRIGATION DIVISION, LATUR AND ANOTHERversusBAPURAO NAMDEO BEMBADE

Disposal
Admitted/Allowed/Granted/Rule Absolute

Holding

The reference court’s award of compensation is correct and the appeals are dismissed.

Summary

The Gujarat Minor Irrigation Development Corporation (GMIDC) appealed the award of compensation granted to the original claimants whose lands were acquired for the Narwatwadi Storage Tank under a Section 4 notification of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The reference court had enhanced the compensation by relying on a pre‑notification sale (Exh. 21 dated 30‑April‑1994) to determine market value at Rs 1,40,000 per hectare for irrigated land and Rs 70,000 per hectare for dry land. GMIDC filed civil applications seeking condonation of delay and challenging the enhanced award, alleging erroneous reliance on the sale instance. The High Court condoned the delay but held that the reference court correctly used the comparable sale, properly considered water source and crop pattern, and therefore made no error in the award. Consequently, both appeals were dismissed and the reference court’s award upheld.

Issues considered

  • Whether the reference court erred in relying on a pre‑notification sale as a comparable to determine market value of the acquired land.
  • Whether the enhanced compensation awarded to the claimants is legally justified.
  • Whether the delay in filing the appeals should be condoned.

Legislation cited

Subjects

  • land acquisition
  • compensation
  • reference court
  • delay condonation
  • market value
  • irrigation project

Judgment

2026:BHC-AUG:32072

                                                                                  CA 16649/15
                                                       1

                               IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                                          BENCH AT AURANGABAD

                     21 CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 16649 OF 2015 IN FAST/33952/2015
                                                WITH
                      CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 16653 OF 2015 IN FAST/33166/2015
                                                WITH
                      CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 16654 OF 2015 IN FAST/33166/2015
                                                WITH
                      CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 16650 OF 2015 IN FAST/33952/2015
                                                WITH
                      CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 16652 OF 2015 IN FAST/33166/2015
                                                WITH
                      CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 16651 OF 2015 IN FAST/33952/2015

                   GMIDC THR THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, LATUR MINOR IRRIGATION
                                   DIVISION, LATUR AND ANOTHER
                                                VERSUS
                                    BAPURAO NAMDEO BEMBADE
                                                  ...
                      Advocate for Applicants : Mrs. Bharaswadkar Patil Kalpalata
                                                   …

                                     CORAM         : SIDDHESHWAR S. THOMBRE, J.
                                     Dated         : July 27, 2026


              PER COURT :-

              1.      In civil applications filed for condonation of delay in filing the

              appeals, for the reasons stated therein, the applications are allowed. Delay

              is condoned.

              2.      Admit.

              3.      As the acquisition proceedings were initiated in the year 1996, heard

              finally with the consent of the learned counsel for the appellant. None for

              the original claimants.

              4.      The present appeals are filed by the acquiring body, thereby

              challenging the judgment and award dated 29.7.2009 passed by the

              learned Civil Judge, Senior Division, Ahmedpur in LAR No.59/2002 and

              58/2002,    whereby     the    learned   reference   court   has   enhanced   the
                                                              CA 16649/15
                                     2

compensation.

5.    The lands of the claimants were acquired for Narwatwadi Storage

Tank by issuing notification under section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act on

28.3.1996. The possession of the lands were taken through private

negotiations on 22.10.1994. The Special Land Acquisition Officer (SLAO)

has declared the award and has granted meager compensation. Being

aggrieved, the original claimants preferred above references. Before the

reference court the claimants have relied upon the sale instance below

Exh. 21 dated 30.4.1994 and considering the same, the reference court

has determined the market value of the acquired land as Rs.1,40,000/- per

H. for irrigated land Rs.70,000/- per H. for dry land. Hence, the present

appeals are filed by the acquiring body.

6.    The learned counsel for the appellant submits that the reference

court has wrongly relied upon the sale instance below Exh. 21 and wrongly

enhanced the compensation and prayed to allow the appeals.

7.    After going through the judgment and order passed by the learned

reference court, it appears that the lands of the claimants were acquired

for above project. The claimants have relied upon sale instance Exh. 21

dated 30.4.1994, which was prior to section 4 notification, by which 7 R.

land from Survey No. 193 from village Andhori was sold for Rs. 8000/-.

The reference court has rightly relied upon the sale instance below Exh. 21

dated 30.4.1994 as comparable sale instance and has rightly determined

the market value of the acquired land as Rs.1,40,000/- per H. for irrigated

land and Rs.70,000/- per H. for dry land considering the source of water

and crop pattern in the acquired lands. I see no error in the impugned

award of the reference court. Both the appeals are devoid of merits and
                                                                  CA 16649/15
                                       3

are hereby dismissed.

8.     Pending civil applications, if any, also stands disposed of.



                                           ( SIDDHESHWAR S. THOMBRE, J. )

ssc/


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