In Brief
The appellant's land was acquired in 1994 for a hydroelectric project. The Reference Court awarded Rs. 4,000 per pomegranate tree. The High Court reduced this to Rs. 2,000 based on a 1977 acquisition case. The Supreme Court partly allowed the appeal, restoring compensation to Rs. 3,000 per tree. The Court held that compensation for identical crops in separate acquisitions cannot be mechanically aligned across a 17-year gap without accounting for inflation and increased cultivation costs. The earlier case's lower award reflected different economic conditions and should not govern the later acquisition.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.