In Brief
A developer and landholders challenged a High Court decision that rejected their claim for enhanced compensation in a land acquisition for an industrial township in Haryana. The High Court had fixed compensation at Rs.43,61,400 per acre based on comparable sales from lands in adjoining villages. The Supreme Court held that while the High Court was correct in relying on comparable pre-acquisition sales and rejecting post-acquisition sales and older valuations, the one-year gap between two acquisition notifications, combined with proximity to a planned expressway, warranted compensation enhancement. The Court awarded an 8% increase, recognizing that rural agricultural land typically appreciates at 5-7.5% annually versus 10-15% in urban areas, resulting in final compensation of Rs.47,10,500 per acre.
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