In Brief
The Supreme Court examined multiple appeals concerning compensation for 229 acres of land acquired in Hansi, Haryana in 2005. The Reference Court awarded Rs. 48,40,000 per acre; the High Court enhanced this to Rs. 2,01,97,320 per acre, relying primarily on a decade-old judgment (Ashrafi case from 1995 acquisition). The State and some landowners challenged the High Court's award. The Supreme Court held that the High Court erred in basing its award solely on the distant Ashrafi precedent while ignoring contemporary sale deeds on record. The Court distinguished Ashrafi as unsafe because the time gap exceeded the permissible five-year standard and the areas involved differed substantially. The judgment was set aside and remitted to the High Court for fresh consideration of all evidence.
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