Paragraph numbers below are the court’s original numbering, recovered from the source text.
4. We heard Mr. Raja Ram Agarwal and Mr. S.B. Sanyal, Senior Counsel who appeared on behalf of the appellants and Mr. P.N. Lekhi, Senior Counsel, Mr. B.B. Singh, Advocate and Mr. A. Sharan, Advocate, c who appeared on behalf of the respondents. The subject matter in the appeals relates to land acquisition proceedings, covering an extent of about 32.48 acres in the villages of Rajapur No. 3 and Dujar No. 4, Perganna E Phulwari, Thana Phulwari, District Patna, initiated under Section 4(1) read with Section 17(4) of the Act as amended by Bihar Act No. 18 of 1964.
5. Budha Griha Nirman Sahyog Samiti Ltd., a society registered under the Societies Registration Act on 4.3:1958, (hereinafter called the F 'Society'), and its officials are the petitioners in CWJC No. 6373/88. The Society requested the State Government to acquire land for the purpose of providing it to doctors, lawyers, Government servants and journalists for building purpose. An extent of 25.09 acres of land was acquired under the normal procedure and the acquisition was completed on 11.7.1962. Posses- ,;"" of the land was taken and compensation was also paid. There is no G controversy about this part of the acquisition.
6. The Society wanted to acquire another block of 32.48 acres, the land adjacent to the aforesaid 25.09 acres. The entire controversy in this batch of appeals is regarding this acquisition, initiated under Section 4 read H ….. 02 with Section 17(4) of the Act ("emergency" acquisition). The Notification relating thereto is dated 4.2.1959. The declaration under Section 6 was made on 4.5.1959. A writ petition filed in the High Court assailing the above proceedings was allowed with liberty to the authorities to initiate proceedings afresh on 2.4.1960. While so, the Patna Improvement Trust c (Patna Development Authority), (hereinafter referred to as the 'Authority'), requested the Government to acquire 64.48 acres of land in Dujra and Rajapur villages for its Boaring Road Development Scheme, Phase-I, The extent of 32.48 acres of land which the Society wanted to acquire and for which proceedings were initiated (under Section 4(1) read with Section 17(4)) fell within the area, which the Authority wanted the Government to acquire. A fresh Notification under Section 4 read with Section 17( 4) of the Act, proposing to acquire 64.48 acres of land was promulgated on 6.8.1961. There was an understanding that upon acquisi- tion, out of the above land, 32.48 acres would be transferred to the Society. A declaration under Section 6 of the Act dated 5.10.1961, appeared in the Gazette ori 7.10.1961. As stated, the possession of 25.08 acres acquired under the ordinary procedure was handed over to the society on 11.7.1962. It appears that possession of an area of 57.71 acres covered by the later notification, was delivered to the Authority on 6.8.1962. Later, the Authority handed over possession of 32.48 acres to the Society. While so, in M.J.C. No. 65/62, the High Court of Patna stayed the land acquisition proceedings. The stay was in force from 23.1.1962 to 1.7.1964 and the M.J.C. was finally withdrawn. It appears that the Society deposited with the Authority a sum of Rs. 1 million on 7.4.1965. By letter No. 254, dated 18.1.1972 the Government directed the Collector not to make the award till full payment of compensation was deposited by the Authority. The acquisition was questioned in C.W.J.C. No. 812/67 in the High Court of Patna. The said petition was dismissed. The matter was taken in appeal to this Court. The appeal was also dismissed. The decision of this Court is reported in Ajodhya Bhagat and Others v. The State of Bihar and Others, AIR 1974 SC 1886. The Authority did not deposit the entire compensation G amount despite .reminders. While so, on 14.8.1981 the Authority passed a resolution not to acquire the entire lands sought, except those portions which were required for construction of the road. It is stated that two awards were passed on 13.3.1982 for an extent of 4.47 acres and 3.32 acres only and the amount of compensation due thereunder were also paid. No H award was passed in respect of the remaining lands. It is in these state of AB. YADAVv. STATE [PARIPOORNAN,J.) affairs, on 22.8.1982 the Society filed the writ petition, CWJC No. 3241/82, A and assailed the resolution of the Authority dated 14.8.1981 and also prayed for a direction to the respondents therein to release the lands. The High Court of Patna by its Judgment dated 23.5.1984, quashed the resolu- tion of the Authority dated 14.8.1981, and also directed the District Col- lector to prepare the award. In the said Judgment, it was noticed that the Society was given possession of lands acquired under the normal procedure – 25.08 acres, and also lands acquired under the emergent procedure – 32.48 acres. The Court further found that since possession of the land had been taken, the Government cannot withdraw from the acquisitions. The validity of acquisition was upheld by the High Court which was affirmed by this Court and it was observed that the acquisition cannot be nullified, for not passing an award. The Court also noticed that there was un- authorised construction and encroachments, but since the land vested in c the Government and possession was taken over, no rights will accrue by such unauthorised construction and encroachments. It is seen that the special leave petition filed against the Judgment of the High Court in D CWJC No. 3240/82 was dismissed by this Court on 23.9.1984. Pursuant to the aforesaid Judgment and award dated 31.7.1984 was passed. The appel- lants contend that the proceeding dated 31.7.1984 is only a valuation statement and not an award. According to the respondents, the proceeding dated 31.7.1984 is in substance an award. The Society filed an application E before the Collector under the Bihar Public Encroachment Land Act, 1976 against 207 persons. The Society also filed Title Suit No. 32/87 in the Sub Court I, Patna against 357 persons for restoration of possession by evicting the encroachers.
7. The above events led to the filing of CWJC No. 6373/88 by the Society against the State of Bihar, the Authority and the Land Acquisition Officer to give effect to the Judgment rendered in CWJC No. 3241/82 and for other reliefs and complete the acquisition proceedings. The appellants herein fileu CWJC No. 8426/88 and 3720/90, in effect contending that the entire land acquisition proceedings had lapsed in view of Section 11-A of G the Act. they are also intervenors in CWJC No. 6373/88. Before us, as also before the High Court, the objections of the appellants and intervenors . against the land acquisition proceedings are three- fold: (i) The land acquisition proceedings have lapsed in view of Section H c 11-A of the Act. (ii) The proceedings dated 31.7.1984 is not an award since it is not in Form 15 and is unsigned. (iii) The Society is not entitled to any relief as prayed for in CWJC No. 6373/88, since it has initiated alternate proceedings by way of title suit and application u jder the Bihar Public Land Encroachment Act, 1956.
8. The sheet-anchor of the appellants' plea is that the land acquisition proceedings have lapsed in view of Sectionll-A of the Act. In order to understand the scope of the plea it will be useful to extract the relevant provisions of the Act. [Section 6, Section 11, Section 11-A, Section 17 and Section 48(1)). "6. Declaration that land is required for a public purpose. – (1) Subject to the provisions of Part VII of this Act, when the ap- propriate Government is satisfied, after considering the report, if any, made under Section 5-A, sub-section (2), that any particular land is needed for a public purpose, or for a Company, a declara- tion shall be made to that effect under the signature of a secretary to such Government or of some officer duly authorized to certify its orders, and different declarations may be made from time to time in respect of different parcels of any land covered by the same notification under Section 4, sub-section (1), irrespective of whether one report· or different reports has or have been made (wherever required) under Section 5-A, sub-section (2); Provided that no declaration in respect of any particular land covered by a notification under Section 4, sub- section (I),- (i) published after the commencement of the Land Acquisition (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance 1967 (1 of 1967), but before the commencement of the land Acquisition, (Amendment) Act, 1984, shall be made after the expiry of three years from the date of the publication of the notification; or (ii) published after the commencement of the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act, 1984, shall be made after the expiry of one year from the date of the publication of the notification : AB. YADAVv. STA"[E [PARIPOORNAN,J.] Provided further that no such declaration shall be made unless A the compensation to be awarded for such property is to be paid by a Company or wholly or partly out of public revenues or some fund controlled or managed by a local authority." "11. Enquily and award by Collector. – (1) on the day so fixed, or on any other day to which the enquiry has been adjourned, the Collector shall proceed to enquire into the objections (if any) which any person interested has stated pursuant to a notice given under Section 9 to the measurements made under Section 8, and into the value of the land at the date of the publication of the notifications under Section 4, sub- section (1), and into the respec- tive interests of the persons claiming the compensation and shall make an awardunder his hand of – (i) the true area of the land; c (ii) the compensation which in his opinion should be allowed for D the land; and (iii) the apportionment of the said compensation among all the persons known or believed to be interested in the land, of whom, or of whose claims, he has information, whether or not they have respectively appeared before him: Provided that no award shall be made by the Collector under this sub-section without the previous approval of the appropriate Government or of such officer as the appropriate Government may authorised in this behalf: Provided further that it shall be competent for the appropriate Government to direct that the Collector may make such award without such approval in such class of cases as the appropriate Government may specify in this behalf. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (i), if at any G stage of the proceedings, the Collector is satisfied that all the persons interested in that land who appeared before him have agreed in writing on the matters to be included in the award of the Collector in the form prescribed by rules made by the ap- propriate Government, he may, without making further enquiry, H c SUPREME COUR'!' REPORTS [1995] SUPP. 3 S.C.R. make an award according to the terms of such agreement. (3) The determination of compensation for any land under sub- section (2) shall not in any way affect the determination of com- pensation in respect of other lands in the same locality or elsewhere in accordance with the other provisions of this Act. (4) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Registration Act, 1908, (16of1908), no agreement made under sub-section (2) shall be liable to registration under that Act." "11-A. Pe1iod within which an award shall be made. – The Collector shall make an award under Section 11 within a peliod of two years from the date of the publication of the declaration and if no award is a made within that pe1iod, the entire proceedings for the acquisi- tion of the land shall lapse. Provided that in a case where the said declaration has been publish- ed before the commencement of the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act, 1984, the award shall he made within a peliod of two years from such commencement. Explanation. – In computing the period of two years referred to in this section, the period during which any action or proceeding to be taken in pursuance of the said declaration is stayed by an • order of a Court shall be excluded." "17. Special powers in cases of urgency. – (1) In cases of urgency, whenever the appropriate Government so directs, the Collector, though no such award has been made, may, on the expiration of fifteen days from the publication of the notice mentioned in Section 9, sub-section (1), take possession of any land needed for public pwpose. Such land shall thereupon vest absolutely in the Govem- ment, ji·ee jimn ali encumbrances. xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx ( 4) In the case of any land to which, in the opm1on of the appropriate Government, the provisions of sub-section (1) or sub- section (2) are applicable, the appropriate Government may direct that the provisions of section 5-A shall not apply, and, if it does so AB. YADAVv. STATE[PARIPOORNAN,J.] direct, a declaration may be made under Section 6 in respect of the A land at any time date of the publication of the notification under Section 4, sub-section (1)." "48. Completion of acquisition not compulsmy, but compensation to be awarded when not competed. – (1) Except in the case provided for in Section 36, the Government shall be at liberty to withdraw from the acquisition of any land of which possession has not been taken.'' It was contended that in view of Section 11-A of the Act the entire land acquisition proceedings lapsed as no award under Section 11 had been C made within 2 years from the date of commencement of the Land Acquisi- tion Amendment Act, 1984. We are of the view that the above has no force. In this case, the government had taken possession of the land in question under section 17(1) of the Act. It is not open to the Government to withdraw from the acquisition (Section 48 of the Act). In such a case, D Section 11-A of the Act is not attracted and the acquisition proceedings would not lapse, even if it is assumed that no award was made within the period prescribed by Section 11-A of the Act. Delivering the Judgment of a Three Member Bench of this Court, in Satendra Prasad Jain and Others. v. State of U.P. and Others, [1993] 4 SCC 369, S.P. Bharucha, J., at page 374, paragraph 15, stated the law thus : "Ordinarily, the Government can take possession of the land proposed to be acquired only after an award compensation in respect thereof has been made under section 11. Upon the taking of possession, the land vests in the Government, that is to say, the F owner of the land loses to the Government the title to it. This is what section 16 states. The provisions of section 11-A are intended to benefit the landowner and ensure that the award is made within a period of two years from the date of the section 6 declaration. In the ordinary case, therefore, when Government fails to make an award within two years of the declaration under section 6, the G land has still not vested in the Government and its title remains with the owner, the acquisition proceedings are still pending, and by virtue of the provisions of section 11-A, lapse. When section 17(1) is applied by reason of urgency, Government takes posses- sion of the land prior to the making of the award under Section H 11 and thereupon the owner is divested of the title to the land which is vested in the Government. Section 17(1) states so in unmistakable terms. Clearly section 11-A can have no application to cases of acquisition under Section 17, because the lands have already vested in the Govemment and there is no provision in the said Act by which land statut01ily vested in the Govemment can reve1t to the owner. " (Emphasis supplied) We, therefore, hold that the land acquisition proceedings in the C instant case did not lapse.
9. We are also of the view that the proceedings dated 31.7.1984 (appearing at pages 82 to 84 of Paper Book, Vol.I, and at pages 203 to 206 of Paper Book, Vol. II), is in substance an award as contemplated by D Section 12 of the Act. It is signed by the District Land Acquisition Officer (Collector) under the Act, though the signature appears to be illegible. After perusing the aforesaid proceedings dated 31.7.1984, the High Court observed that the State is bound by the directions given by the Court earlier in CWJC No. 3241/82, that in the light of the aforesaid order of the High Court, proceedings dated 31.7.1984 was passed, that all requisites of an award are mentioned in the said order, and since there is substantial compliance, it should be treated as an award. The High Court was also of the view that even a defective award which has complied with the directions of the Court and the provisions of law will not invite "the wrath" of Section 11-A of the Act. We are in general agreement with the reasoning and conclusion of the High Court in holding that the proceedings dated 31.7.1984, in the facts and circumstances of the case, is an award passed by the Collector under the Act, though not in Form 15. It is only a matter of procedure which should be complied with. Since the direction given by the High Court in CWJC No. 3241/82 should be effectuated, the High G Court was justified in directing the authority ~oncerned to sign and com- plete the award in terms of the earlier order dated 31.7.1984. The reasoning of the High Court that it has power to issue such direction under Article 215, in a case where otherwise the conduct of the persons called for punishment in contempt, appears to be justified. We hold that the proceed- ings dated 31.7.1984, is in substance, an a~rd, though it is not in Form 15. AB. YADAVv. STATE [PARIPOORNAN,J.]
10. Mr. Sanyal, senior counsel, very strongly contended that since the A society filed an application before the Collector under the Bihar Public Land Encroachment Act 1956, and also title suit No. 32/87, in the Sub Court, Patna for removing the encroachments, the High Court was in error in not dismissing the writ petition filed by the Society. In other words, the plea was that since the Society has availed of the alternate remedy, the writ B petition should have bee!) dismissed and the High Court should not have exercised the discretionary jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitu- tion of India. Counsel pressed into service the decision of this Court in Jail Singh v. Union of India and Others, AIR (1977) SC 898, to substantiate th~ plea. We are of the view that Jai Singlz's case is clearly distinguishable. In C that case, the appellant before this Court prayed for quashing the demand made against him in respect of royalty. His case was that gypsum ore was less than the particular percentage of purity. Whereas according to the revenue, it was not so established and the substance contained a higher percentage of purity. The plea of the appellant was not accepted by the D statutory authorities. The writ petition filed by the appellant in this High Court was dismissed on the ground that it involved determination of disputed questions of fact and the appellant had an alternate remedy. Against the dismissal of the writ petition the appellant filed an appeal in this Court on a certificate granted by the High Court. He also filed a suit wherein the same question was agitated which was the subject matter of the writ petition. In these circumstances, this Court held that the appellant, in the said case cannot pursue two parallel remedies in re!>pect of the same matter at the same time. We are also of the view that ordinarily the above rule should prevail. There may be extra-ordinary situations or circumstan- ces, which may even warrant, a different approach, where the orders passed by the Court are sought to be violated or thwarted with impunity. The Court cannot be a silent spectator in such extraordinary situations. The position obtaining herein is rather a different and unusual one. The writ petition was filed by the Society (CWJC No. 6373/88), praying for a direction to the respondents to give effect to the directions contained in G the earlier judgment of this Court in CWJC NO. 3241/82, dated 23.9.1984, and for other consequential or incidental reliefs. So, it cannot be said that in the instant case, the relief sought was to remove the encroachments from the lands or to remove the unauthorised constructions, which are covered by the encroachment case or the title suit. they may be incidental or H consequential to the main relief, in giving effect to the earlier directions or orders of Court. But such relief cannot be withheld or denied. In the Judgment dated 23.9.1984, rendered in CWJC No. 3241/82, the Court categorically held that non-passing of the award will not nullify the acquisi- tion, the validity of the acquisition was upheld by the High Court and the Supreme Court, and the encroachments or the unauthorised structures were put up by persons in the property at their own risk, and it was further observed that once possession of the land was taken by the Government the fact that the owner of the lana entered upon the land, will not obliterate the consequences of vesting, and allowed the writ petition filed by the c Society, and quashed the steps taken for derequisitioning of the land requested by the Authority and issued a writ of mandamus directing the Collector of Patna to prepare the award as expeditiously as possible. The plea of the respondents that the project itself was rendered an impossibility on account of excessive encroachments or unauthorised constructions, was repelled, and relying upon the decision of this Court in Ba/want Narayan D Bhagde v. M.D. Bhagwat and Others, AIR (1975) SC 1767, it was held that once possession of the land was taken by the Government, even if the owner of the land entered upon the land and resumed possession of it the very next moment, such act does not have the effect of obliterating the consequences of vesting. In allowing the prayer of the Society in CWJC No. 6373/88, by a common judgment 30.7.1993, the High Court was only implementing its earlier order and directions in CWJC No. 3241/82 which it was bound to do in the circumstances. We hold that the directions and orders contained in CWJC No. 3241/82, which were not interfered with , by this Court in Special leave petition, by order dated 21.3.1984, should be fully and effectively implemented. We hold so.
11. Mr. Sanyal, senior counsel feebly raised the plea that the Govern- ment authorities did not take possession of a small portion of the land, about 7 acres; and there is no award relating thereto, and the proceedings G regarding that portion of the land, had lapsed. This plea is without sub- stance. In our view the proceedings dated 31.7.1984 is in substance an award passed in pursuance of the directions given by this Court in CWJC No. 3421/82. The entire land, for which request for acquisition was made by the Authority, was delivered over to the Authority. Possession was taken of the entire land and the plea that possession of a small portion of the H land was not taken is against the record (see AIR 1974 SC 1886 at 1889). •. .1 AB. YADAVv. STATE (PARIPOORNAN,J.]
12. All the contentions urged on behalf of the appellants fail. The A appeals are wholly without merit and we dismiss them with costs. It is distressing to note that the land acquisition proceedings which was initiated for a very laudable purpose, more than 37 years ago, is not yet complete. At one point of time, it was brought to the notice of the Court Lhat even the files relating to the acquisition of land are not traceable. The High Court was constrained to hold, on an earlier occasion, that non-traceability of the files must be attributed to deliberate destruction of the relevant files by the "interested parties", and "but for the intervention of influential persons", the Government would not have stayed the entire proceedings as it did on 3.5.1965. We are constrained to observe that the hands of the interested parties seem to be still active, and the intervention of such C influential persons has not disappeared (AIR 1974 SC 1888). A laudable and noble cause is delayed for more than 3 decades, under one pretext or the other. We express our anguish in the entire episode. We, therefore, direct the State of Bihar, its officials the authorities and other persons concerned who are seized of the subject matter of the instant land acquisi- tion proceedings, to complete the proceedings in the quickest possible time. We further direct the appellants in these appeals to pay costs of Rs. 10,000 in each of these appeals, towards the Advocate's fees for the Society.
13. The appeals are dismissed with costs as aforesaid. VANDANA Appeals dismissed. E