In Brief
The Supreme Court examined competing appeals regarding compensation for the acquisition of 354.50 acres in Haryana for urban development. The High Court had awarded Rs. 1,46,09,000 per acre by mechanically applying a 15% annual cumulative increase to a prior case (Swaran Singh). The Court held that previous awards cannot be blindly followed; they are merely evidence requiring proof of similarity. The Court set aside the High Court's determination, holding that compensation must be assessed on the case's specific facts and evidence. It reduced the award to Rs. 95 lakhs per acre, incorporating appropriate deductions for development costs and recognizing that land acquisition cases depend on their individual circumstances, not mechanical precedent.
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