HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD FIRST APPEAL No. - 355 of 2019 Court No. - 38 HON'BLE SANDEEP JAIN, J. 1. Heard Shri Suresh Chandra Dwivedi, learned counsel for the appellant - Agra Development Authority. None for the respondents. 2. The instant first appeal under Section 54 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 has been filed by the Agra Development Authority against the Award and Decree dated 29.11.2018 passed by the Court of Additional District Judge/ PO, Nagar Mahapalika Tribunal, Agra in L.A. Case No. 971 of 2003, Chedilal (since deceased) by his LRs v. State of U.P. and others, whereby compensation at the rate of Rs. 405/- per sq. yard along with other consequential benefits admissible under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 has been awarded to the land owners. 3. Shri Suresh Chandra Dwivedi, learned counsel for the appellant submitted that in similar land acquisition matters, against the Award of the lower court, the Development Authority had challenged the order of the Reference Court by filing several first appeals before this Court which was allowed vide order dated 25.07.2019 wherein the matter was remanded back to the Reference Court for deciding the matter afresh in accordance with law in the light of the observations made by this Court. Learned counsel further submitted that the above order of this Court has been challenged by the landowners by filing SLP (Civil) in the Apex Court which is pending for disposal but no stay order has been passed by the Apex Court, as such, the instant appeal be also decided in terms of the above order of this Court. Versus Counsel for Appellant(s) : M.C. Chaturvedi, Senior Advocate, Suresh C. Dwivedi Counsel for Respondent(s) : Agra Development Authority .....Appellant(s) Chedilal (Since Dead) And 21 Others .....Respondent(s) 4. I have heard the learned counsel for both the sides and perused the record. 5. It is apparent that in the instant appeal, the matter relates to the acquisition of land by the Agra Development Authority for Taj Nagri Housing Scheme Phase-II regarding land of Village Basai Mustaqil (Chungi Andar & Chungi Bahar), Tehsil & District- Agra. The notification under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 was published in the official gazette on 04.04.1989 and the Award of the Collector was made on 05.11.2001 whereby for land falling in Chungi Andar, compensation at the rate of Rs. 49/- per sq. yard and for land pertaining to Chungi Bahar, compensation at the rate of Rs. 39.20/- per sq. yard was awarded. The landowners had challenged the above Award by filing a Reference which has been allowed vide impugned Award and Decree dated 29.11.2018 whereby the compensation has been enhanced to Rs. 405/- per sq. yard besides other benefits admissible under the Land Acquisition Act, to the landowners. 6. It is also apparent that in similarly situated matters, the Development Authority had challenged the Award of the Reference Court in First Appeal No. 733 of 2017 along with 18 other connected first appeals (Agra Development Authority v. Nafisha Begum and others) which was allowed by this Court vide order dated 25.07.2019 whereby the matter was remitted back to the Reference Court for deciding the Reference afresh in accordance with law in the light of the observations made in the judgement. It is also apparent that in the above-referred cases, the Reference Court had awarded compensation at the rate of Rs. 610/- per sq. yard for the acquired land of Chungi Andar and at the rate of Rs. 405/- per sq. yard for the acquired land of Chungi Bahar. In the instant case also, the Reference Court has awarded compensation at the rate of Rs. 405/- per sq. yard. 7. In view of the above facts and circumstances, since this Court has, in the above-mentioned appeals, remitted the matter to the Reference Court for deciding afresh, as such, it appears appropriate that in this appeal also, the matter be remitted back to the Reference Court for deciding the matter afresh in the light of the observations made by this Court in the earlier FAPL No. 355 of 2019 2 order dated 25.07.2019. 8. Accordingly, the instant appeal is allowed. The impugned Decree and Award of the Reference Court dated 29.11.2018 passed by Additional District Judge/ PO, Nagar Mahapalika Tribunal, Agra is hereby set aside and the matter is remitted back for deciding afresh in the light of the observations made by this Court in above-referred cases vide order dated 25.07.2019. 9. However, in the facts and circumstances of the case, the parties shall bear there own costs. 10. Office is directed to prepare the decree accordingly. October 16, 2025 Jitendra FAPL No. 355 of 2019 3 (Sandeep Jain,J.) Digitally signed by :- JITENDRA KUMAR PATEL High Court of Judicature at Allahabad