In Brief
K.S. Sanjeev's legal heirs appealed against inadequate land acquisition compensation. The Land Acquisition Officer had awarded Rs. 11,000 per cent for land in Kottayam town, but the appellants sought enhancement using a comparable property sale (A4 document) at Rs. 17,250 per cent from 1986. The High Court had rejected A4 because the witness claiming it made inaccurate statements. The Supreme Court held that witness credibility and courtroom conduct are irrelevant to fixing land value; if comparable land is genuinely similar in location and character, the documented transaction value should be accepted. The Court allowed compensation at Rs. 17,250 per cent plus statutory benefits under the Land Acquisition Act.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.