In Brief
The Supreme Court addressed whether a landowner whose property was submerged by a dam in 1991 could recover damages and interest for the period before formal acquisition proceedings began in 2007. The Court held that statutory interest under the Land Acquisition Act can only be awarded from the date of the Section 4 notification, not from the date of submergence. However, the Collector was directed to examine and determine rent or damages for the submergence period prior to notification. The appeal was disposed with directions for the Collector to decide within six months whether the land was actually submerged from 1991 onwards.
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