Supreme Court News: District Judge Will Decide On Compensation Dispute In Land Acquisition For Highways

Supreme Court News: District Judge Will Decide On Compensation Dispute In Land Acquisition For Highways

The Supreme Court said, only the Principal Civil Court can do the work of resolving the dispute related to the distribution of the fixed amount of compensation. The apex court allowed the appeal of Vinod Kumar and others against the order of the Allahabad High Court Division Bench dated February 28, 2020.

The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the dispute relating to distribution of compensation to landowners in lieu of land acquired under the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1956, would be decided by the District Judge and not by the DM. These disputes will be referred to the court of the District Judge and not the District Magistrate.

A bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice JB Pardiwala said, the work of resolving the dispute related to the division of the prescribed amount of compensation can only be done by the Principal Civil Court. Principal Civil Court means the Court of the District Judge. The apex court allowed the appeal of Vinod Kumar and others against the order of the Allahabad High Court Division Bench dated February 28, 2020.

The Division Bench of the High Court had dismissed the appeal filed against the judgment of the Single Bench which had held that the District Magistrate should inquire into the validity of the order passed by the Special Land Acquisition Officer under Section 3G(5) of the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1956.

The Supreme Court was hearing the matter relating to division of compensation amount among the appellants for a piece of land acquired for four-laning of National Highway No. 29 in Mau district of Uttar Pradesh.