In Brief
The Supreme Court modified the High Court's assessment of compensation for agricultural land acquired in Chandigarh for Defence Security Forces. While affirming the High Court's reliance on specific sale transactions as proper evidence of market value, the Court revised the deduction applied to those transactions from 50% to 40%, thereby increasing the awarded compensation per acre from Rs. 11,30,000 to Rs. 13,54,200. The Court held that the lower deduction was justified given the significant size difference between the comparable plots and the acquired land. Land owners were also entitled to solatium on the enhanced amount but denied interest for the delay period in one group of appeals."
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