Law: Land Acquisition Act, 1894

Section: I,4,11,1218,23,24

(a) Land Acquisition Act (I of 1894)-------Ss. 4 & 18---Acquisition of land---Compensation---Determination---Relevant witnesses---Appellants/Authorities acquired land of respondents/ landowners for public purpose---Referee Court enhanced compensation which was fixed in award by Land Acquisition Collector---Validity---Halqa Patwari was the most crucial and proximate witness who produced mutations and average sale price--Appellants/Authorities did not produce any plausible evidence to show any defect in determination of value by Referee Court---Witnesses produced by appellants/ authorities had no proximity or personal knowledge of the matters, touching determination of compensation---Absence of knowledge regarding material facts could not be construed or inferred as affirmation of actual facts---In Award filing of objections by respondents/landowners was mentioned, however no reasons were mentioned which prevailed upon Land Acquisition Collector to reject those objections---Award was based upon value assessed by District Price Assessment Committee (which was approved by Board of Revenue), however none of the members was produced in evidence to explain criteria adopted by the Committee while fixing the price---Award did not reflect independent assessment by Land Acquisition Collector keeping in view the complexion and character of acquired land, especially when respondents specifically asserted that their land was situated on a main road---Division Bench of High Court declined to interfere in order passed by Referee Court enhancing compensation in favour of respondents/land owners---Appeal was dismissed, in circumstances.Federation of Pakistan and others v. Ghulam Mustafa and others R.F.A.No.74504 of 2019 rel.(b) Land Acquisition Act (I of 1894)-------Ss. 23 & 24---Acquisition of land---Compensation, determining of---Principle--Mere production of handful of sale deeds, contemporaneous to acquisition proceedings, is not enough to disbelieve compensation already determined.(c) Land Acquisition Act (I of 1894)-------S. 18---Acquisition of land---Compensation, determining of---Referee Court--Factors to be considered---Referee Court has to take into…