2025:JHHC:19315 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI W.P.(C) No. 707 of 2024 Ramdhan Sahu, S/o Late Bigu Sahu, R/o House No. 74, Near Bishnu Mandir, PO & PS-Bharno, District-Gumla… … Petitioner Versus 1. The State of Jharkhand 2. The Deputy Commissioner, Gumla 3. The Additional Collector, Gumla 4. The District Land Acquisition Officer, Gumla… Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH SHANKAR ----- For the Petitioner : Mr. A.K. Sahani, Advocate For the Respondents : Mr. Ashish Kumar Shekhar, AC to SC (L&C)-II ----- 06/16.07.2025 The present writ petition has been filed for quashing letter as contained in memo no. 485 dated 10.08.2023 (Annexure-5 to the writ petition) issued by the respondent no. 4 – the District land Acquisition Officer, Gumla, whereby the said respondent declined to consider the objection dated 20.07.2023 (Annexure-4 to the writ petition) raised by the petitioner against the quantum of compensation with respect to the land appertaining to Plot No. 4989 under Khata No. 336, Mouza-Bharno, measuring an area of 0.3767 acre in connection with Case No. 01/2022-23, which has been acquired for the purpose of widening of NH-23 with further direction to the respondent no. 4 either to re-determine the amount of compensation in terms with Section 3-G(7) of the National Highways Act, 1956 or to refer the matter to the respondent no. 3 – the Additional Collector, Gumla for arbitration within a specified period. 2. Mr. Ashish Kumar Shekhar, AC to SC (L&C)-II appearing on behalf of the respondents, refers to paragraph no. 14 of the counter affidavit filed on behalf of the respondent nos. 2 to 4, 2 which reads as under: “14. It is stated and submitted that under the above circumstances and after receiving the application of the petitioner, the District Land Acquisition Officer, Gumla referred the matter to the arbitrator for hearing vide Memo No. 431/LA Gumla dated 06.12.2024. Photocopy of the application of the petitioner and Memo No. 431/LA Gumla dated 06.12.2024 are annexed herewith and marked as Annexure-B to this counter affidavit.” 3. Since during pendency of the writ petition, the petitioner’s objection with regard to enhancement of compensation for acquisition of the land in question has already been referred to the respondent no. 3 – the Arbitrator-cum-Additional Collector, Gumla, I see no reason to further proceed in the writ petition and the same is accordingly disposed of. 4. The respondent no. 3 is, however, directed to expedite Case No. 01/2022-23 and to dispose of the same in accordance with law. If the petitioner requests for personal hearing in the matter, the same shall be permitted by the respondent no. 3. (Rajesh Shankar, J.) Manish