LAA No. 663 of 2015 & con. Cases

## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.B.SURESH KUMAR** **MONDAY, THE 15TH DAY OF JULY 2019 / 24TH ASHADHA, 1941** **LA.App..No.663 of 2015** **AGAINST THE JUDGMENT AND DECREE DATED 28-02-2015 IN LAR 80/2010 of the PRINCIPAL SUB COURT,KOLLAM** **APPELLANT/RESPONDENT IN L.A.R :-** **STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, KOLLAM. BY SRI B.R.MURALEEDHARAN, SR.GOVERNMENT PLEADER** **RESPONDENT/CLAIMANT IN L.A.R :-** **CHANDRASENAN, PANAMMOTTIL VEEDU,EDANADU, MEENADU VILLAGE,KOLLAM-691 001.** **BY ADVS. SRI.PRATHEESH P. SMT.RENY ANTO** **THIS LAND ACQUISITION APPEAL HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 15.07.2019, ALONG WITH LA.App..49/2016,LA.App..15/2017, LA.App..18/2017, LA.App..20/2017, LA.App..199/2017, LA.App..215/2017 and LA.App..228/2017,, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:** 2 LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases ## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.B.SURESH KUMAR** **MONDAY, THE 15TH DAY OF JULY 2019 / 24TH ASHADHA, 1941** **LA.App..No.49 of 2016** **AGAINST THE JUDGMENT AND DECREE DATED 26-03-2015 IN LAR 52/2010 of the PRINCIPAL SUB COURT,KOLLAM** **APPELLANT/RESPONDENT IN L.A.R :-** **STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, KOLLAM.** **BY SRI.B.R.MURALEEDHARAN, SR.GOVERNMENT PLEADER** **RESPONDENT/CLAIMANT IN L.A.R :-** **NANI SUBHADRA, THEKKEDATHU VEEDU, PERUMPUZHA CHERRY, KOTTAMKARA VILLAGE, KOLLAM - 691 001.** **BY ADVS. SRI.PRATHEESH.P SMT.RENY ANTO** **THIS LAND ACQUISITION APPEAL HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 15.07.2019, ALONG WITH LA.App..663/2015, LA.App..15/2017, LA.App..18/2017, LA.App..20/2017, LA.App..199/2017, LA.App..215/2017 and LA.App..228/2017, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:** LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases 3 ## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.B.SURESH KUMAR** **MONDAY, THE 15TH DAY OF JULY 2019 / 24TH ASHADHA, 1941** ## **LA.App..No.15 of 2017** **AGAINST THE JUDGMENT AND DECREE DATED 20-01-2016 IN LAR 24/2012 of the PRINCIPAL SUB COURT,KOLLAM** ## **APPELLANT/RESPONDENT IN LAR :-** **STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY DISTRICT COLLECTOR, KOLLAM BY SRI.B.R.MURALEEDHARAN, SR.GOVERNMENT PLEADER** ## **RESPONDENTS/CLAIMANTS IN LAR :-** **1 SMT.PONNAMMA THEKKEDATHU PUTHEN VEEDU, PERUMPUZHA, KOLLAM-691 504.** **2 SUNDARESAN S. S/O.SREEDHARAN, THEKKEDATHU PUTHEN VEEDU, PERUMPUZHA, NOW RESIDING AT NEDUVILAZHIKATHU VEEDU, ANAKOTTOOR P.O., KOTTARAKKARA – 691 505.** LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases 4 - **3 LALITHA BAI, THEKKEDATHU PUTHEN VEEDU, PERUMPUZHA, KOLLAM – 691 504** - **4 SURENDRAN, THEKKEDATHU PUTHEN VEEDU, PERUMPUZHA, KOLLAM -691 504** - **5 REVEENDRAN, THEKKEDATHU PUTHEN VEEDU, PERUMPUZHA, KOLLAM – 691 504** **R1 to R5 BY BY ADV. SRI.AJAYA KUMAR. G** **THIS LAND ACQUISITION APPEAL HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 15.07.2019, ALONG WITH LA.App..663/2015, LA.App..49/2016, LA.App..18/2017, LA.App..20/2017, LA.App..199/2017, LA.App..215/2017 and LA.App..228/2017, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:** LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases 5 ## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.B.SURESH KUMAR** **MONDAY, THE 15TH DAY OF JULY 2019 / 24TH ASHADHA, 1941** **LA.App..No.18 of 2017** **AGAINST THE JUDGMENT AND DECREE DATED 22-01-2016 IN LAR 42/2006 of the PRINCIPAL SUB COURT, KOLLAM** ## **APPELLANT/RESPONDENT IN LAR :-** **STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY DISTRICT COLLECTOR, KOLLAM** **BY SRI.B.R.MURALEEDHARAN, SR.GOVERNMENT PLEADER** ## **RESPONDENTS/CLAIMANT IN LAR :-** **1 MEENAKSHY AMMA, KALARIVILATHEKKATHIL, SANKARALAYAM, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMKOTTA, KOLLAM-690 521 (DIED)** **2 SUBHADRA AMMA D/O.LATE MEENAKSHY AMMA, BINDHU BHAVANAM, PANAPETTI, SASTHAMCOTTA, PIN-690521** **3 SUMANGALA AMMA SANKARALAYAM, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMKOTTA, KOLLAM-690521.** LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases 6 - **4 SUVARNAKUMARI AMMA, D/O.LATE MEENAKSHY AMMA, RAJESH BHAVAN, CHADAYAMANGALAM, KOLLAM-691 534** - **5 SUKUMARI AMMA D/O.LATE MEENAKSHY AMMA, KALARIVILATHEKKATHIL, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMKOTTA, KOLLAM-690521** - **6 GOPAKUMAR,** - **S/O.LATE MEENAKSHY AMMA,KALARIVILATHEKKATHIL, MUTHUPILAKKADU WEST, SASTHAMKOTTA,KOLLAM690521** **THIS LAND ACQUISITION APPEAL HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 15.07.2019, ALONG WITH LA.App..663/2015, LA.App..49/2016, LA.App..15/2017, LA.App..20/2017, LA.App..199/2017, LA.App..215/2017 and LA.App..228/2017, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:** 7 LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases ## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.B.SURESH KUMAR** **MONDAY, THE 15TH DAY OF JULY 2019 / 24TH ASHADHA, 1941** **LA.App..No.20 of 2017** **AGAINST JUDGMENT AND DECREE DATED 11-12-2015 IN LAR 110/2010 of the PRINCIPAL SUB COURT, KOLLAM** ## **APPELLANT/RESPONDENT IN LAR :-** **STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY DISTRICT COLLECTOR, KOLLAM** **BY SRI.B.R.MURALEEDHARAN, SR.GOVERNMENT PLEADER** ## **RESPONDENT/CLAIMANT IN LAR :** **THANKAMMA AMMA,** **W/O.CHELLAPPAN PILLAI, CHETTIMANA MELATHIL, CHATHINAMKULAM, CHANDANATHOPPE P.O., KOLLAM – 691 014.** ## **BY ADV. SRI.ARUN BABU** **THIS LAND ACQUISITION APPEAL HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 15.07.2019, ALONG WITH LA.App..663/2015, LA.App..49/2016, LA.App..15/2017, LA.App..18/2017, LA.App..199/2017, LA.App..215/2017 and LA.App..228/2017, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:** LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases 8 ## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.B.SURESH KUMAR** **MONDAY, THE 15TH DAY OF JULY 2019 / 24TH ASHADHA, 1941** **LA.App..No.199 of 2017** **AGAINST THE JUDGMENT AND DECREE DATED 30-09-2015 IN LAR 14/2015 of the PRINCIPAL SUB COURT,KOLLAM** **APPELLANT/RESPONDENT IN LAR :** **STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR,KOLLAM** **BY SRI.B.R.MURALEEDHARAN, SR.GOVERNMENT PLEADER** ## **RESPONDENT/CLAIMANT IN LAR :-** ## **VIMALA KUMARI** **KAVUMPURATHU VEEDU,NADUVILA MURI, SOORANADU NORTH, KUNNATHOOR, KOLLAM - 690 561.** **BY ADVS. SMT.RENY ANTO SRI.SIJU KAMALASANAN** **THIS LAND ACQUISITION APPEAL HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 15.07.2019, ALONG WITH LA.App..663/2015,LA.App..49/2016, LA.App..15/2017, LA.App..18/2017, LA.App..20/2017, LA.App..215/2017 and LA.App..228/2017, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:** LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases 9 ## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.B.SURESH KUMAR** **MONDAY, THE 15TH DAY OF JULY 2019 / 24TH ASHADHA, 1941** **LA.App..No.215 of 2017** **AGAINST THE JUDGMENT AND DECREE DATED 30-09-2015 IN LAR 81/2011 of the PRINCIPAL SUB COURT,KOLLAM** ## **APPELLANT/RESPONDENT IN LAR :-** **STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, KOLLAM** **BY SRI.B.R.MURALEEDHARAN, SR.GOVERNMENT PLEADER** ## **RESPONDENTS/CLAIMANTS IN LAR :-** **1 PANKAJAKSHY AMMA GANESH BHAVAN, PATHIRICKAL, SOORANADU NORTH, KOLLAM - 690 522. 2 GANESAN PILLAI, AGED 68 YEARS S/O. GOPALAN NAIR,RESIDING AT GANESH BHAVAN, FROM MULLUVILA VEEDU, PATHIRICKAL MURI, SOORANADU NORTH VILLAGE,KUNNATHOOR TALUK, KOLLAM - 690 522.** LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases 10 - **3 SURENDRAN NAIR,** **AGED 53 YEARS,S/O. GOPALAN NAIR,RESIDING AT GANESH BHAVAN, FROM MULLUVILA VEEDU, PATHIRICKAL MURI, SOORANADU NORTH VILLAGE, KUNNATHOOR TALUK, KOLLAM - 690 522.** ## **4 RAVEENDRAN NAIR** **AGED 53 YEARS,S/O. GOPALAN NAIR, MULLUVILA VEEDU, PATHIRICKAL MURI, SOORANADU NORTH VILLAGE, KUNNATHOOR TALUK, NOW RESIDING AT GANESH BHAVAN, PATHIRICKAL,SOORANADU NORTH, KOLLAM - 690 522.** - **5 GOPALAN NAIR,** **AGED 49 YEARS, S/O. RAJENDRAN NAIR, MULLUVILA VEEDU,PATHIRICKAL MURI, SOORANDADU VILLAGE,KUNNATHOOR, NOW RESIDING AT GANESH BHAVAN, PATHIRICKAL, SOORANADU, KOLLAM - 690 522.** **BY ADVS. SMT.RENY ANTO SRI.SIJU KAMALASANAN** **THIS LAND ACQUISITION APPEAL HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 15.07.2019, ALONG WITH LA.App..663/2015, LA.App..49/2016, LA.App..15/2017,LA.App..18/2017,LA.App..20/2017, LA.App..199/2017 and LA.App..228/2017, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:** LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases 11 ## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.B.SURESH KUMAR** **MONDAY, THE 15TH DAY OF JULY 2019 / 24TH ASHADHA, 1941** **LA.App..No.228 of 2017** **AGAINST THE JUDGMENT AND DECREE DATED 30-09-2015 IN LAR 84/2011 of the PRINCIPAL SUB COURT,KOLLAM** ## **APPELLANT/RESPONDENT IN LAR :-** **STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, KOLLAM** **BY SRI.B.R.MURALEEDHARAN, SR.GOVERNMENT PLEADER** ## **RESPONDENTS/CLAIMANTS IN LAR :-** - **1 PANKAJAKSHY AMMA, MUKALUVILAYIL (GANESH BHAVAN),PATHIRICKAL, SOORANADU NORTH, KOLLAM-690561.,** **2 GANESAN PILLAI, AGED 68 YEARS, S/O.GOPALAN NAIR, RESIDING AT GANESH BHAVAN, FROM MULLUVILA VEEDU,PATHIRICKAL MURI, SOORANADU NORTH VILLAGE, KUNNATHOOR TALUK, KOLLAM-690561.** LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases 12 ## **3 RAVEENDRAN NAIR** **AGED 65 YEARS, S/O.GOPALAN NAIR,RESIDING AT GANESH BHAVAN, FROM MULLUVILA VEEDU,PATHIRICKAL MURI, SOORANADU NORTH VILLAGE,KUNNATHOOR TALUK, KOLLAM-690561.** ## **4 SURENDRAN NAIR** **AGED 53 YEARS, S/O.GOPALAN NAIR,RESIDING AT GANESH BHAVAN, FROM MULLUVILA VEEDU,PATHIRICKAL MURI, SOORANADU NORTH VILLAGE,KUNNATHOOR TALUK, KOLLAM-690561.** - **5 RAJENDRAN NAIR** **AGED 49 YEARS, S/O. GOPALAN NAIR, RESIDING AT GANESH BHAVAN, FROM MULLUVILA VEEDU,PATHIRICKAL MURI, SOORANADU NORTH VILLAGE,KUNNATHOOR TALUK, KOLLAM-690561.** **R2 BY BY ADVS. SMT.RENY ANTO SRI.SIJU KAMALASANAN** **THIS LAND ACQUISITION APPEAL HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 15.07.2019, ALONG WITH LA.App..663/2015, LA.App..49/2016, LA.App..15/2017, LA.App..18/2017,LA.App..20/2017, LA.App..199/2017 and LA.App..215/2017, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:** 13 LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases **LAA Nos.663 of 2015, 49 of 2016, 15, 18, 20, 199, 215 and 228 of 2017 -----------------------------------------------------------** ## **J U D G M E N T** These appeals are preferred by the State challenging the decrees and judgments in a batch of references under Section 28A(3) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (the Act). The appeals are disposed of by this common judgment as the issue falls for consideration in the matters is common. 2. Lands were acquired from the claimants in the proceedings for various public purposes and they have accepted the land value fixed by the Land Acquisition Officer for the said purpose and received compensation computed on that basis without objection. Later, the reference court granted enhanced compensation for identical lands acquired for the same purpose pursuant to the same notification. The claimants 14 LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases then preferred applications for re-determination of compensation. On their applications, the Collectors concerned re-determined the compensation payable to them in tune with the relied upon decisions of the reference court. However, while re-determining the compensation, the Collectors have not granted to the claimants interest on solatium and interest on additional compensation payable on the basis of the re-fixed land value under Sections 23(2) and Section 23(1A) of the Act. According to the claimants, they are entitled to interest on solatium and interest on additional compensation payable on the basis of the re-fixed land value also. They have, therefore, sought reference under Section 28A(3) of the Act. The reference court held that the claimants are entitled to interest on solatium and interest on additional compensation payable on the basis of the re-fixed land value and accordingly, granted the said benefit also to the claimants. It is challenging the said decision of the reference court that the State has come up in 15 LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases these appeals. 3. Heard the learned Government Pleader as also the learned counsel for the claimants. 4. The common question arising for consideration in these cases is as to whether the claimants are entitled to interest on solatium and interest on additional compensation payable on the basis of the re-fixed land value under Section 23(1A) of the Act. It has been held by the Apex Court in **Sunder v. Union of India** [(2001) 7 SCC 211] that interest is payable in terms of the provisions of the Act not only on the land value of the acquired land but also for solatium and additional compensation payable under Section 23 of the Act. If that be so, the claimants in a proceedings under Section 28A of the Act are also entitled to interest on solatium payable under Section 23(2) of the Act and interest on additional compensation payable under Section 23(1A) of the Act. In the said view of the matter, the land acquisition appeals are devoid LAA No.663 of 2015 & con. Cases **==> picture [17 x 11] intentionally omitted <==** of merits and the same are, accordingly, dismissed. All the interlocutory applications in the appeals are closed. **Sd/P.B.SURESH KUMAR, JUDGE.** DK