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TMI Blog2014 (1) TMI 1643X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... d to have lapsed. We, therefore, deal with this aspect first. 4. The brief facts necessary for consideration of the above question are these. On 06.08.2002, the proposal of the Municipal Commissioner, Pune Municipal Corporation (for short, "Corporation") duly approved by the Standing Committee for acquisition of lands admeasuring 43.94 acres for development of "Forest Garden" was sent to the Collector, Pune. The Collector sanctioned the proposal and on 20.02.2003 forwarded the same to Special Land Acquisition Officer (15), Pune for further action. On 30.09.2004, the notification under Section 4 of the 1894 Act was published in the official gazette. Then notices under Section 4(1) were served upon the landowners/interested persons. On 26.12.2005, the declaration under Section 6 was published in the official gazette and on 02.02.2006, it was also published at the site and on the notice board of the Office of Talaltti. Following the notices under Section 9, on 31.01.2008 the Special Land Acquisition Officer made the award under Section 11 of the 1894 Act. 5. The landowners challenged the above acquisition proceedings before the Bombay High Court in 9 writ petitions. Of them, 2 were ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ed by Section 24(2) and the only right that survives to the landowners is to receive compensation. 8. 2013 Act puts in place entirely new regime for compulsory acquisition of land and provides for new scheme for compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement to the affected families whose land has been acquired or proposed to be acquired or affected by such acquisition. 9. To turn, now, to the meaning of the expression "compensation has not been paid" in Section 24(2) of the 2013 Act and its effect on the subject acquisition, it is necessary to refer to Section 24 which reads as follows: "24. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, in any case of land acquisition proceedings initiated under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, - a) Where no award under section 11 of the said Land Acquisition Act has been made, then, all provisions of this Act relating to the determination of compensation shall apply; or b) Where an award under said section 11 has been made, then such proceedings shall continue under the provisions of the said Land Acquisition Act, as if the said Act has not been repealed. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), in case of land acquisi ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... respect of the acquisition initiated under the 1894 Act an award has been made and compensation in respect of a majority of land holdings has not been deposited in the account of the beneficiaries then all the beneficiaries specified in Section 4 notification become entitled to compensation under 2013 Act. 12. To find out the meaning of the expression, "compensation has not been paid", it is necessary to have a look at Section 31 of the 1894 Act. The said Section, to the extent it is relevant, reads as follows: "31. Payment of compensation or deposit of same in Court. - (1) On making an award under section 11, the Collector shall tender payment of the compensation awarded by him to the persons interested entitled thereto according to the award, and shall pay it to them unless prevented by some one or more of the contingencies mentioned in the next sub-section. (2) If they shall not consent to receive it, or if there be no person competent to alienate the land, or if there be any dispute as to the title to receive the compensation or as to the apportionment of it, the Collector shall deposit the amount of the compensation in the Court to which a reference under section 18 would b ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... the land in respect whereof such money shall have been deposited or as near thereto as may be. 17. While enacting Section 24(2), Parliament definitely had in its view Section 31 of the 1894 Act. From that one thing is clear that it did not intend to equate the word "paid" to "offered" or "tendered". But at the same time, we do not think that by use of the word "paid", Parliament intended receipt of compensation by the landowners/persons interested. In our view, it is not appropriate to give a literal construction to the expression "paid" used in this sub-section (sub-section (2) of Section 24). If a literal construction were to be given, then it would amount to ignoring procedure, mode and manner of deposit provided in Section 31(2) of the 1894 Act in the event of happening of any of the contingencies contemplated therein which may prevent the Collector from making actual payment of compensation. We are of the view, therefore, that for the purposes of Section 24(2), the compensation shall be regarded as "paid" if the compensation has been offered to the person interested and such compensation has been deposited in the court where reference under Section 18 can be made on happenin ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ent treasury is of no avail and cannot be held to be equivalent to compensation paid to the landowners/persons interested. We have, therefore, no hesitation in holding that the subject land acquisition proceedings shall be deemed to have lapsed under Section 24(2) of the 2013 Act. 21. The argument on behalf of the Corporation that the subject land acquisition proceedings have been concluded in all respects under the 1894 Act and that they are not affected at all in view of Section 114(2) of the 2013 Act, has no merit at all, and is noted to be rejected. Section 114(1) of the 2013 Act repeals 1894 Act. Sub-section (2) of Section 114, however, makes Section 6 of the General Clauses Act, 1897 applicable with regard to the effect of repeal but this is subject to the provisions in the 2013 Act. Under Section 24(2) land acquisition proceedings initiated under the 1894 Act, by legal fiction, are deemed to have lapsed where award has been made five years or more prior to the commencement of 2013 Act and possession of the land is not taken or compensation has not been paid. The legal fiction under Section 24(2) comes into operation as soon as conditions stated therein are satisfied. The ap ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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