HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD WRIT - C No. - 38391 of 2026 Court No. - 29 HON'BLE SIDDHARTHA VARMA, J. HON'BLE KUNAL RAVI SINGH, J. 1. Heard Shri M.C. Singh, learned Counsel for the petitioners, learned Standing Counsel for respondent Nos. 1, 3 & 4 and learned counsel appearing on behalf of respondent No.2. 2. Challenge has been raised to the order dated 21.04.2022 passed by the Special Land Acquisition Officer, whereby the application filed under Section 28-A of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short, the "Act, 1894") has been rejected on a highly technical ground. 3. At the outset, learned counsel for the petitioners has placed reliance upon the order dated 22.09.2022 passed by a Coordinate Bench of this Court in Writ-C No. 23460 of 2022 (Ram Prakash vs. State of U.P. and 3 others), wherein the Special Land Acquisition Officer had rejected an application under Section 28-A of the Act, 1894 on the highly technical ground that the same had been preferred beyond the prescribed period by 9 days. After hearing the learned counsel for the parties, the Coordinate Bench allowed the writ petition and relegated the matter to the competent authority for fresh consideration in accordance with law. 4. It is contended that though the land acquisition reference was decided by the competent Court on 04.04.2012 and the compensation in respect of the land in question was finalized, the petitioners moved an application under Section 28-A of the Act, 1894 on 17.07.2012. Learned counsel for the petitioners, in this backdrop, submits that in the instant case, the application under Section 28-A of the Act, 1894 was preferred with a delay of 14 days. It is thus contended that the issue involved in the present Versus Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Dushyant Singh, Mahesh Chand Counsel for Respondent(s) : Anuj Pratap Singh, C.S.C., Vibhu Rai Vikram Singh And 9 Others .....Petitioner(s) State Of U.P. And 3 Others .....Respondent(s) case is squarely covered by the aforesaid order and, therefore, similar indulgence may be extended in favour of the petitioners. 5. Be that as it may, a perusal of the record indicates that the petitioners were not aware of the award passed by the Reference Court on 04.04.2012. 6. After getting the award, if the petitioners moved an application by delay of 14 days, it should have been condoned by the Special Land Acquisition Officer. The rejection order, being highly technical is, therefore, set aside. The writ petition is allowed. 7. The matter is relegated back to the Competent Authority for fresh decision in accordance with law. September 23, 2026 Irshad WRIC No. 38391 of 2026 2 (Kunal Ravi Singh,J.) (Siddhartha Varma,J.) Digitally signed by :- IRSHAD AHMAD SIDDIQUI High Court of Judicature at Allahabad