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IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL No.14124 OF 2024 (Arising out of SLP(C)No.4607 of 2021)
UNIVERSITY OF JAMMU THROUGH ITS REGISTRAR … APPELLANT
Versus
ZAMINDARAB SUNGLI & ORS. … RESPONDENTS
O R D E R
1. Leave granted.
2. The Reference Court-cum-District Judge, Bhadarwah, passed an
Award dated 22.12.2017, in File No.14/Reference, under Section 18
of the J&K Land Acquisition Act, 1990. The State had acquired the
land measuring 337 kanals 06 marlas for the appellant-University
for establishment of its campus at Sungli, Tehsil Bhadarwah.
3. The University - being beneficiary of the acquisition was
aggrieved by the different rates of compensation for different
parcels of land broadly at the rate of Rs.3,00,000/- (Rupees Three
Lakhs) per kanal and hence it decided to file First Appeal before
the High Court. There was a delay of 61 days in filing the appeal.
The High Court, vide the impugned order dated 02.03.2021, has
declined to condone the delay of 61 days, giving rise to these
proceedings.
4. We have heard learned counsel for the parties and carefully
perused the record.
5. It may be true that the appellant-University has not mentioned
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the specific date when it came to know about the impugned Award
etc. but keeping in view the fact that the delay was of 61 days
only, the High Court ought to have adopted a liberal and pragmatic
approach. It was not ...