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Bombay High Court

GANPATI KRISHNA JADHAV AND ORSversusTHE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER MINOR IRRIGATION DIVISION, OSMANABAD AND ORS

Disposal
PARTLY ALLOWED AND PARTLY DISMISSED

Holding

The claimants are entitled to interest under Sections 28 and 34 of the Land Acquisition Act, and the award is modified accordingly while the enhanced compensation is maintained.

Summary

The case concerns a land acquisition award dated 15 July 2014 in Osmanabad, which was challenged by the acquiring body (Executive Engineer, Minor Irrigation Division) and by the claimants (Ganpati Krishna Jadhav et al.) through a first appeal and a cross‑objection respectively. Both parties argued that the dispute is identical to that decided in First Appeal No. 4399 of 2017, where the Court had partially allowed the appeals and directed that interest be awarded under Sections 28 and 34 of the Land Acquisition Act. The Court accepted this submission, referring to the Full Bench decision in State of Maharashtra v. Kailash Shiva Rangari. Consequently, the Court partly allowed the present appeal and cross‑objection, modified the 2014 judgment to grant interest to the claimants, upheld the enhanced compensation, and confirmed the remaining parts of the award. The claimants may withdraw the deposited amount with accrued interest, and any pending civil applications are disposed of.

Issues considered

  • Whether the claimants are entitled to interest on compensation under Sections 28 and 34 of the Land Acquisition Act.
  • Whether the earlier order in First Appeal No. 4399 of 2017 governs the present appeal and cross‑objection.
  • Whether the compensation awarded by the reference court should be modified or confirmed.

Legislation cited

Subjects

  • land acquisition
  • compensation
  • interest
  • civil appeal
  • modification of award
  • Sections 28 and 34
  • Full Bench precedent

Judgment

2026:BHC-AUG:41301
                                                                        910-FA-1139-2017.odt
                                                   1

                        IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                                   BENCH AT AURANGABAD

                                910 FIRST APPEAL NO. 1139 OF 2017

               Executive Engineer, Minor Irrigation Division, Osmanabad and Others
                                              VERSUS
                               Ganpati Krishna Jadhav And Others
                                              AND
                           X-OBJECTION NO. 80 OF 2025 IN FA/1139/2017

                                Ganpati Krishna Jadhav And Others
                                              VERSUS
               Executive Engineer, Minor Irrigation Division, Osmanabad and Another

                                             ……
          Mr. S.G. Sangle, Advocate for Appellant in FA/1139/2017 and for
          Respondent No.1 in X-Obj./80/2025
          Mr. M.B. Kolpe, Advocate for Applicant-Claimants in in X-Obj./80/2025 and
          for Respondents No.1 to 3 in FA/1139/2017
          Mr. A.D. Wange, AGP for State
                                             ……

                                            CORAM : SIDDHESHWAR S. THOMBRE, J.
                                            DATE       : 04 SEPTEMBER, 2026
          PER COURT :

          1.        Heard learned counsel for the respective parties.


          2.       This First Appeal and Cross Objection arise out of the Judgment and

          Award dated 15.07.2014 passed by the learned Civil Judge, Senior Division,

          Osmanabad, in Land Acquisition Reference No.78 of 2014.


          3.       Learned counsel Mr. Sangle for the appellant-Acquiring Body and

          learned counsel Mr. Kolpe for the claimant submit that the controversy

          involved in the present matter is squarely covered by the order dated

          28.07.2026 passed by this Court in First Appeal No.4399 of 2017 and

          connected matters, whereby this Court partly allowed the appeals preferred
                                                                910-FA-1139-2017.odt
                                       2

by the Acquiring Body. They, therefore, submit that the present First Appeal

and Cross Objection may also be disposed of in terms of the said order.

Learned AGP fairly concedes the aforesaid position.


4.      Having considered the submissions advanced by learned counsel for

the respective parties, and in view of the admitted position that the

controversy involved in the present matter is identical to the one decided by

this Court in First Appeal No.4399 of 2017 and connected matters vide

order dated 28.07.2026, whereby this Court partly allowed the appeals and

modified the impugned Awards to the extent of the interest part, I see no

reason to take a different view. Consequently, the First Appeal filed by the

Acquiring Body as well as the Cross Objection filed by the claimant deserve

to be disposed of in terms of the said order. Hence, the following order:


                                  ORDER

(i)     The First Appeal and Cross X-objection are partly allowed.


(ii)    The impugned judgment and award dated 15.07.2014 passed by the

learned Civil Judge, Senior Division, Osmanabad in Land Acquisition

Reference No.78 of 2014 is modified.


(iii)   Claimants shall be entitled to interest under Sections 28 and 34 of

the Land Acquisition Act, in terms of the law laid down by the Full Bench of

this Court in State of Maharashtra v. Kailash Shiva Rangari, 2016 (3),

Mh.L.J. 457.
                                                                    910-FA-1139-2017.odt
                                          3


(iv)       The enhancement of compensation awarded by the learned

Reference Court is maintained.


(v)        The remaining part of the impugned judgment and award is

confirmed.


(vii)      The claimants are permitted to withdraw the amount ling deposited

in this Court, along with accrued interest, if any, in accordance with law.


(viii)     Pending Civil Applications, if any, stand disposed of.




                                               [ SIDDHESHWAR S. THOMBRE ]
                                                         JUDGE
S P Rane


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